scholarly journals Designing a model of turbulent dissipation by internal wave breaking

Eos ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (33) ◽  
pp. 304-304
Author(s):  
Colin Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Breaking ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation

Models of energy loss from internal waves breaking in the ocean

2017 ◽  
Vol 836 ◽  
pp. 72-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Thorpe
Keyword(s):  
Exact Solution ◽  
Internal Wave ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Wave Breaking ◽  
Convective Instability ◽  
Helmholtz Instability ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Data Representative ◽  
Made In

The supply of energy to the internal wave field in the ocean is, in total, sufficient to support the mixing required to maintain the stratification of the ocean, but can the required rates of turbulent dissipation in mid-water be sustained by breaking internal waves? It is assumed that turbulence occurs in regions where the field of motion can be represented by an exact solution of the equations that describe waves propagating through a uniformly stratified fluid and becoming unstable. Two instabilities leading to wave breaking are examined, convective instability and shear-induced Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Models are constrained by data representative of the mid-water ocean. Calculations of turbulent dissipation are first made on the assumption that all the waves representing local breaking have the same steepness, $s$, and frequency, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$. For some ranges of $s$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$, breaking can support the required transfer of energy to turbulence. For convective instability this proves possible for sufficiently large $s$, typically exceeding 2.0, over a range of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$, while for shear-induced instability near-inertial waves are required. Relaxation of the constraint that the model waves all have the same $s$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$ requires new assumptions about the nature and consequences of wave breaking. Examples predict an overall dissipation consistent with the observed rates. Further observations are, however, required to test the validity of the assumptions made in the models and, in particular, to determine the nature and frequency of internal wave breaking in the mid-water ocean.

scholarly journals Abyssal plain hills and internal wave turbulence

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (14) ◽  
pp. 4387-4403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans van Haren
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Breaking ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Abyssal Plain ◽  
Marginal Stability ◽  
Eddy Diffusivities ◽  
North East ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
Ocean Topography ◽  
Wave Induced

Abstract. A 400 m long array with 201 high-resolution NIOZ temperature sensors was deployed above a north-east equatorial Pacific hilly abyssal plain for 2.5 months. The sensors sampled at a rate of 1 Hz. The lowest sensor was at 7 m above the bottom (m a.b.). The aim was to study internal waves and turbulent overturning away from large-scale ocean topography. Topography consisted of moderately elevated hills (a few hundred metres), providing a mean bottom slope of one-third of that found at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (on 2 km horizontal scales). In contrast with observations over large-scale topography like guyots, ridges and continental slopes, the present data showed a well-defined near-homogeneous “bottom boundary layer”. However, its thickness varied strongly with time between < 7 and 100 m a.b. with a mean around 65 m a.b. The average thickness exceeded tidal current bottom-frictional heights so that internal wave breaking dominated over bottom friction. Near-bottom fronts also varied in time (and thus space). Occasional coupling was observed between the interior internal wave breaking and the near-bottom overturning, with varying up- and down- phase propagation. In contrast with currents that were dominated by the semidiurnal tide, 200 m shear was dominant at (sub-)inertial frequencies. The shear was so large that it provided a background of marginal stability for the straining high-frequency internal wave field in the interior. Daily averaged turbulence dissipation rate estimates were between 10−10 and 10−9 m2 s−3, increasing with depth, while eddy diffusivities were of the order of 10−4 m2 s−1. This most intense “near-bottom” internal-wave-induced turbulence will affect the resuspension of sediments.

Dissipation and diffusion by internal wave breaking

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann E. Gargett ◽  
Greg Holloway
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Breaking ◽  
And Diffusion

scholarly journals On the Accuracy of Overturn-Based Estimates of Turbulent Dissipation at Rough Topography

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Jalali ◽  
Vamsi K. Chalamalla ◽  
Sutanu Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Wave Breaking ◽  
Local Region ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
Local Distortion ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Realistic Topography ◽  
And Inversion

AbstractEvidence in support of overturn-based methods, often used to infer turbulent dissipation rate from density profiles, is typically from regions with weaker turbulence than that at rough-topography hotspots. The present work uses direct numerical simulations (DNS) of an idealized problem of sloping topography as well as high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent flow at more realistic topography in order to investigate the accuracy of overturn-based methods in sites with internal wave breaking. Two methods are assessed: Thorpe sorting, where the overturn length LT is based on local distortion of measured density from the background, and inversion sorting, where the inversion length scale LI measures the statically unstable local region. The overturn boundaries are different between the two methods. Thorpe sorting leads to an order of magnitude overestimate of the turbulent dissipation in the DNS during large convective overturn events when inversion sorting is more accurate. The LES of steep, realistic topography leads to a similar conclusion of a substantial overestimate of dissipation by Thorpe sorting. Energy arguments explain the better performance of inversion sorting in convectively driven turbulence and the better performance of Thorpe sorting in shear-driven turbulence.

scholarly journals Seismic imaging of a thermohaline staircase in the western tropical North Atlantic

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 361-389
Author(s):  
I. Fer ◽  
P. Nandi ◽  
W. S. Holbrook ◽  
R. W. Schmitt ◽  
P. Páramo
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
Tropical North Atlantic ◽  
Seismic Reflection Method ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Salt Fingering ◽  
Wave Induced

Abstract. Multichannel seismic data acquired in the Lesser Antilles in the western tropical North Atlantic indicate that the seismic reflection method has imaged an oceanic thermohaline staircase. Synthetic modeling of observed density and sound speed profiles corroborates inferences from the seismic imagery. Laterally coherent, uniform layers are present at depths ranging from 550–700 m and have a separation of ~20 m, with thicknesses increasing with depth. Reflection coefficient, a measure of the acoustic impedance contrasts, associated with the interfaces is one order of magnitude greater than the background levels. Hydrography sampled in previous surveys puts a constraint on the longevity of these layers in this area to within a maximum of three years. Spectral analysis of layer horizons in the thermohaline staircase indicates that internal wave activity is anomalously low, suggesting weak internal wave-induced turbulence and mixing. Results from two independent measurements, the application of a finescale parameterization to observed high-resolution velocity profiles and direct measurements of turbulent dissipation rate, confirm the low levels of turbulence and mixing. The lack of internal wave-induced mixing allows for the maintenance of the staircase. Our observations show the potential that seismic oceanography can contribute to an improved understanding of temporal occurrence rates, and the geographical distribution of thermohaline staircases and can improve current estimates of vertical mixing rates ascribable to salt fingering in the global ocean.

scholarly journals Turbulence closure: turbulence, waves and the wave-turbulence transition – Part 1: Vanishing mean shear

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-580
Author(s):  
H. Z. Baumert ◽  
H. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Tidal Flow ◽  
Wave Turbulence ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Turbulent Length Scale ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
New Model ◽  
Turbulence Transition ◽  
Ozmidov Scale

Abstract. A new two-equation, closure-like turbulence model for stably stratified flows is introduced which uses the turbulent kinetic energy (K) and the turbulent enstrophy (Ω) as primary variables. It accounts for mean shear – and internal wave-driven mixing in the two limits of mean shear and no waves and waves but no mean shear, respectively. The traditional TKE balance is augmented by an explicit energy transfer from internal waves to turbulence. A modification of the Ω-equation accounts for the effect of the waves on the turbulence time and space scales. The latter is based on the assumption of a non-zero constant flux Richardson number in the limit of vanishing mean-flow shear when turbulence is produced exclusively by internal waves. The new model reproduces the wave-turbulence transition analyzed by D'Asaro and Lien (2000). At small energy density E of the internal wave field, the turbulent dissipation rate (ε) scales like ε~E2. This is what is observed in the deep sea. With increasing E, after the wave-turbulence transition has been passed, the scaling changes to ε~E1. This is observed, for example, in the swift tidal flow near a sill in Knight Inlet. The new model further exhibits a turbulent length scale proportional to the Ozmidov scale, as observed in the ocean, and predicts the ratio between the turbulent Thorpe and Ozmidov length scales well within the range observed in the ocean.

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