Annette Samuelsen

My main interest is the use of coupled physical-biological models to study the interaction between physical ocean processes and the marine ecosystem on lower trophic levels.  Examples of such interactions are exchange between the coastal and open ocean ecosystem through cross-shelf transport, influence of climate variability on the timing and magnitude of the spring bloom, and how eddies and fronts influence the plankton distribution.  Models are useful for studying these problems because they provide understanding of the 3-dimentional dynamics involved. Currently I am working on the NFR-funded project AcuSat.  In this project acoustic measurements, satellite observations, and modeling studies are combined to get a better understanding of how eddies influence biological production in the ocean.  A high-resolution model is employed here to properly resolve the mesoscale dynamics.  In addition I am involved in the large European project MyOcean where we are implementing of an operational ocean forecasting system for the Arctic.