A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region

Chen, Ru; Gille, Sarah T.; McClean, Julie L.; Flierl, Glenn R.; Griesel, Alexa

doi:10.1175/jpo-d-14-0229.1

Title: A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region

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Abstract

A multiwavenumber theory is formulated to represent eddy diffusivities. It expands on earlier single-wavenumber theories and includes the wide range of wavenumbers encompassed in eddy motions. In the limiting case in which ocean eddies are only composed of a single wavenumber, the multiwavenumber theory is equivalent to the single-wavenumber theory and both show mixing suppression by the eddy propagation relative to the mean flow. The multiwavenumber theory was tested in a region of the Southern Ocean (70°–45°S, 110°–20°W) that covers the Drake Passage and includes the tracer/float release locations during the Diapycnal and Isopycnal Mixing Experiment in the Southern Ocean (DIMES). Cross-stream eddy diffusivities and mixing lengths were estimated in this region from the single-wavenumber theory, from the multiwavenumber theory, and from floats deployed in a global ^K₀° Parallel Ocean Program (POP) simulation. Compared to the single-wavenumber theory, the horizontal structures of cross-stream mixing lengths from the multiwavenumber theory agree better with the simulated float-based estimates at almost all depth levels. The multiwavenumber theory better represents the vertical structure of cross-stream mixing lengths both inside and outside the Antarctica Circumpolar Current (ACC). Finally, both the single-wavenumber and multiwavenumber theories represent the horizontal structures of cross-stream diffusivities, which resemble the eddymore » kinetic energy patterns.« less

Authors:

Chen, Ru ^[1]; Gille, Sarah T. ^[1]; McClean, Julie L. ^[1]; Flierl, Glenn R. ^[2]; Griesel, Alexa ^[3]

Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Scripps Inst. of Oceanography
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Univ. of Hamburg, Hamburg (Germany)

Publication Date:: Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF); Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:: 1565388

Grant/Contract Number:: OCE0960914; TG-OCE100001

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Physical Oceanography

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 45; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3670

Publisher:: American Meteorological Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Oceanography

Citation Formats


                    Chen, Ru, Gille, Sarah T., McClean, Julie L., Flierl, Glenn R., and Griesel, Alexa. A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region.  United States: N. p., 2015. 
Web.  doi:10.1175/jpo-d-14-0229.1.

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                    Chen, Ru, Gille, Sarah T., McClean, Julie L., Flierl, Glenn R., & Griesel, Alexa. A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0229.1

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                    Chen, Ru, Gille, Sarah T., McClean, Julie L., Flierl, Glenn R., and Griesel, Alexa. Wed .  
"A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-14-0229.1.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1565388.

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@article{osti_1565388,

  title        = {A Multiwavenumber Theory for Eddy Diffusivities and Its Application to the Southeast Pacific (DIMES) Region},

  author       = {Chen, Ru and Gille, Sarah T. and McClean, Julie L. and Flierl, Glenn R. and Griesel, Alexa},

  abstractNote = {A multiwavenumber theory is formulated to represent eddy diffusivities. It expands on earlier single-wavenumber theories and includes the wide range of wavenumbers encompassed in eddy motions. In the limiting case in which ocean eddies are only composed of a single wavenumber, the multiwavenumber theory is equivalent to the single-wavenumber theory and both show mixing suppression by the eddy propagation relative to the mean flow. The multiwavenumber theory was tested in a region of the Southern Ocean (70°–45°S, 110°–20°W) that covers the Drake Passage and includes the tracer/float release locations during the Diapycnal and Isopycnal Mixing Experiment in the Southern Ocean (DIMES). Cross-stream eddy diffusivities and mixing lengths were estimated in this region from the single-wavenumber theory, from the multiwavenumber theory, and from floats deployed in a global K0° Parallel Ocean Program (POP) simulation. Compared to the single-wavenumber theory, the horizontal structures of cross-stream mixing lengths from the multiwavenumber theory agree better with the simulated float-based estimates at almost all depth levels. The multiwavenumber theory better represents the vertical structure of cross-stream mixing lengths both inside and outside the Antarctica Circumpolar Current (ACC). Finally, both the single-wavenumber and multiwavenumber theories represent the horizontal structures of cross-stream diffusivities, which resemble the eddy kinetic energy patterns.},

  doi          = {10.1175/jpo-d-14-0229.1},

  journal      = {Journal of Physical Oceanography},

  number       = 7,

  volume       = 45,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},

  month        = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}

}

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