Ryan Eusebi ’22, Computer Science

Ryan Eusebi ’22

Major

Computer Science

Project Title

Submesoscale Variability in the Eastern Pacific from Underway Observations

Presentation Link

View Ryan's Presentation

Certificate(s): Applied and Computational Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Statistics and Machine Learning

For this internship, I cleaned, reconstructed and analyzed near-surface ocean temperature and salinity data collected off the coast of Los Angeles in August 2020. The major goals were to examine the structure, variability, and nature and extent of density stratification in the two-dimensional profiles that were sampled. Turner angles were calculated to ascertain that temperature variations contributed more to density variations than salinity, and that the upper ocean’s density in this region was in fact compensated. Using spectral analysis via the discrete Fourier transform, we found significant submesoscale (lengths of one to tens of kilometers) variability showing signatures of internal waves. This variability was isotropic (independent of direction) and scale features in the profiles seemed to persist for time periods greater than six to nine days. This internship afforded me valuable experience in the field of oceanography and taught me various dynamic fluid analysis techniques that can be applied to numerous situations. The experience definitely helped me confirm that I want to pursue a career involving research related to geosciences and climate science.