[ecco-support] Calculation of ice-ocean freshwater flux from ECCO v4r4

[Alexander Haumann]

Dear ECCO support,

I am trying to estimate the different components of the surface 
freshwater flux balance from ECCO v4r4 and I am wondering if you could 
maybe help me with clarifying some issues that I have.

A colleague of mine estimated the total surface salt flux variations 
from SFLUX and I am trying to explain its variability from the different 
components of the surface freshwater fluxes. However, the sum of the 
ocean freshwater fluxes does not match the interannual variability in 
the salt flux. My main problems are (1) that I am not quite sure which 
freshwater flux is being used to obtain SFLUX and would be the 
equivalent and (2) how to estimate the sea-ice--ocean flux component.

In terms of (1) there are three variables in the documentation that are 
referred to as total ocean freshwater flux: oceFWflx, EXFempmr, SIempmr. 
Which one should I use to match SFLUX? How is SFLUX in the model being 
calculated from the surface freshwater flux? SIempmr seems to be missing 
from the output files (nctiles_monthly) on the ECCO Drive in v4r4.

In terms of (2), a colleague of mine recommended me to calculate the 
sea-ice--ocean flux as  -SIempmr- (SIatmFW-SIsnPrcp). However, for this 
calculation I would missing the SIempmr from the output. Would that in 
principal be correct? I have tried to calculate it as oceFWflx-SIatmFW, 
which looks reasonable in terms of spatial pattern but the variability 
does not match the SFLUX variability. So, I am skeptical that this is 
the correct approach.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

Best wishes,
Alex


-- 

Dr. F. Alexander Haumann, Associate Research Scholar
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, *Princeton University*
& British Antarctic Survey Honorary Researcher
https://www.ahaumann.net <https://www.ahaumann.net>
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