All past projects at here
ONR ASTraL DRI: Improving the model simulation of surface wave impacts on air-sea fluxes, turbulent boundary layers, and their impacts on Indian monsoons in the Arabian Sea (lead PI, $688,863)
ASTraL will improve in situ characterization of air-sea exchanges of heat, mass, and momentum, including amplitudes and space-time variability, and provide useful and practical observational constraints for prediction models across scales. We propose a model-data synthesis project that will validate, refine, and re-engineer, if necessary, the parameterizations for air-sea fluxes mediated by surface waves and their interaction with turbulent boundary layer processes in the Arabian Sea. The focus is on the spring-to-summer transition season, where the Arabian Sea exhibits peculiar sea states dominated by swell and mixed seas, whose effects on air-sea fluxes remain poorly captured even in the most advanced bulk flux algorithms. Subsequent impacts on the formation and collapse of the mini-warm pool and the onset of the summer monsoons in simulation and forecast models will be quantified. Seo is the sole/lead PI.
NOAA CVP TPOS-Pre field Modeling: Exploiting coupled ocean-atmosphere-wave model simulations to identify observational requirements for air-sea interaction studies across the tropical Pacific (lead PI, $773,543)
This is a pre-field modeling study to improve our process understanding and representation of air-sea flux and associated turbulent exchanges and dissipation in the oceanic and atmospheric boundary layers across the multiple TPOS regimes and to determine their dependence on varying ocean eddy and fronts, diurnal cycle, barrier layer, and surface wave conditions. A crucial element is to exploit extensive high-resolution, ocean-atmosphere-wave coupled model simulations, validated with existing in situ and satellite observations in the TPOS, to determine the simulation sensitivity to assumptions in the parameterized air-sea interaction and choices of model physics and resolution. Seo is the lead PI.
NOAA CVP: Regional multi-year prediction for the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf (co-PI, $658,442)
The Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NES LME) is arguably one of the most oceanographically dynamic marine ecosystems. As such, managing fish stocks that respond to this dynamic environment has become increasingly challenging due to the synergistic impacts of fisheries and climate change. Many fishery stock assessments are single-species models that do not include environmental variables, which may lead to increased retrospective patterns of stock estimates.
NSF PO: Improving understanding of coupled impacts of oceans and waves on air-sea fluxes in the US Northeast Coast (lead PI, $831,818)
Our goal is to drive down the cost of energy from offshore wind farms by improving wind resource assessments and forecast models and reducing the uncertainty in energy yield and design load assessments. Via high-quality observations of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) within and around the MA/RI lease areas, we will drive model improvements and create a benchmark standard for resource measurement and modeling science.
DOE WFIP3: Improving High-Resolution Offshore Wind Resource Assessment and Forecasts Using Observations in the MA/RI Lease Areas (co-PI, $10M)
Our goal is to drive down the cost of energy from offshore wind farms by improving wind resource assessments and forecast models and reducing the uncertainty in energy yield and design load assessments. Via high-quality observations of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) within and around the MA/RI lease areas, we will drive model improvements and create a benchmark standard for resource measurement and modeling science. Seo is a co-PI of a large research team at WHOI.
NSF PO/CLD: Collaborative Research: Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Feedbacks Affecting California Coastal Climate: Current Conditions and Future Projections (lead PI, $497,237)
The coastal climate of California is profoundly affected by the ocean, which moderates its hot summers and provides moisture for much-needed winter rains. While the importance and impact of the mean state of the ocean are well appreciated, the impact of the anomalous state of the ocean on coastal climate is far less well understood. Seo is the lead PI.
NASA MAP: Improving coupled atmosphere-ocean processes in NU-WRF for the simulation of coast-threatening extratropical cyclones in the northeastern US (lead PI, $1,166,106)
This project will develop a better understanding of the physical processes governing the structure and evolution of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) in the Northeastern US and the New England shelf regions. Seo is the lead PI.
NOAA CVP ATOMIC: Coupled ocean-atmosphere interaction mediated by ocean mesoscale eddies in the Northwestern Tropical Atlantic Ocean (lead PI, $767,746)
The primary goal of the ATOMIC experiment is to improve understanding of ocean-atmosphere interaction in the presence of energetic ocean mesoscale variability in the northwest tropical Atlantic. A particular focus is on documenting the role of ocean mesoscale eddies and fronts in the surface fluxes of momentum, heat, and freshwater, and examining how the eddy-mediated air-sea fluxes relate to ocean boundary layer mixing, low-level clouds, and regional climate. Seo is the lead PI.