Thermobaricity Workshop presentations, modeling, bibliography, data

The data comprises a website ("oc.nps.navy.mil/thermobaricity/")containing talks and discussion from the Workshop of Thermobaric Instability in High Latitude Oceans, held 4-6 Oct 2000, at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA. Thermobaricity refers to the pressure dependence of the thermal expansion factor, which is potentially important for deep convection when cold, relatively fresh water overlies warmer, saltier water of similar density.

The purpose of the meeting was to (a) summarize current knowledge of thermobaricity and other "equation-of-state" issues; (b) facilitate interactions among theoreticians, modelers, and observationalists; and (c) develop parameters for a measurement program to understand incipient, active, or "fossil" thermobaricity in the winter Weddell Sea. The website includes powerpoint presentations or scanned viewgraphs of the invited participants, including an overview tutorial by M. McPhee.