Beaufort Gyre Freshwater Tracer Experiment

The Beaufort Gyre has over the past decade increased its freshwater storage (Proshutinsky et al., 2011).  A tracer experiment has recently been proposed to NSF to release dye markers in the center of the Gyre to determine downwelling rates and exit pathways of this freshwater.  Inspired by a presentation on this given by the observationalist J. Ledwell at the 2012 FAMOS meeting, a multi-model intercomparison was proposed by P. Myers to simulate such an experiment.  Results from this work will be useful to guide the observational program (if funded), to provide a bigger picture view of the regional physics, and to better understand the underlying processes within the Gyre.