Federal Grant Award Summary

New York University received a $677,933 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050), with an award date of August 1, 2026 and completion date of July 31, 2029. The grant funds research to improve the representation of eddy-topography interactions in ocean models, addressing how mesoscale eddies interact with sloping ocean bottoms and rough bathymetry. The research will develop topography-aware, depth-dependent energy closure schemes within an energetically consistent backscatter framework to better represent eddy vertical structure and associated energy fluxes near the ocean floor in eddy-permitting ocean circulation models.

The project deliverables include theoretical predictions derived from quasigeostrophic turbulence simulations, validation results from primitive-equation process models with controllable roughness and slope geometry, and diabatic Southern Ocean process experiments examining impacts on heat transport and ice-ocean interactions. These research outputs are intended to reduce biases in ocean circulation model predictions, improve energy budget closure, and enhance future projections of ocean heat and carbon uptake, particularly in data-sparse regions such as the Southern Ocean. The work will additionally support early-career scientist workforce development and inform the design of future observing systems.