Latitudinal dependence of diapycnal diffusivity in the thermocline observed using a microstructure profiler

Details Latitudinal dependence of diapycnal diffusivity in the thermocline observed using a microstructure profiler Latitudinal dependence of diapycnal diffusivity in the thermocline observed using a microstructure profiler

Dec 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007georl..3424602h&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 34, Issue 24, CiteID L24602

Physics

2

Oceanography: Physical: Fine Structure And Microstructure, Oceanography: Physical: Turbulence, Diffusion, And Mixing Processes (4490), Oceanography: Physical: Internal And Inertial Waves

Scientific paper

The un-tethered free-fall microstructure profiler ``TurboMAP-D'' collected 53 velocity microstructure profiles in the interior Pacific Ocean. The data between ~1000 m and ~1600 m depth was used to infer diapycnal diffusivity in the main thermocline. We found diapycnal diffusivity at 20°-30°N was roughly proportional to the logarithm of locally available energy density of the semidiurnal internal tide and reached more than 10-4 m2 s-1 near the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. In contrast, diapycnal diffusivity was found to remain at ~10-5 m2 s-1 equatorward of 20°N and poleward of 30°N, irrespective of the amount of locally available semidiurnal internal tide energy. The observed mixing hotspots were a factor of 2-3 less intense than predicted based on fine-scale parameterizations, although further microstructure measurements are needed to better quantify them. The present study has confirmed the existence of a latitudinal dependence of diapycnal diffusivity which must be taken into account in global circulation models.

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