The Latitudinal Dependence of Shear and Mixing in the Pacific Transiting the Critical Latitude for PSI
| Type | : | ACL |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | : | Production scientifique |
| Au bénéfice du Laboratoire | : | Non |
| Statut de publication | : | Publié |
| Année de publication | : | 2013 |
| Auteurs (5) | : | MACKINNON J,a ALFORD Matthew,h PINKEL R KLYMAK Jody,m ZHAO Z,x |
| Revue scientifique | : | Journal of Physical Oceanography |
| Volume | : | 43 |
| Fascicule | : | 1 |
| Pages | : | 3-16 |
| DOI | : | 10.1175/JPO-D-11-0107.1 |
| URL | : | - |
| Abstract | : | Turbulent mixing rates are inferred from measurements spanning 25 degrees-37 degrees N in the Pacific Ocean. The observations were made as part of the Internal Waves Across the Pacific experiment, designed to investigate the long-range fate of the low-mode internal tide propagating north from Hawaii. Previous and companion results argue that, near a critical latitude of 29 degrees N, the internal tide loses energy to high-mode near-inertial motions through parametric subharmonic instability. Here, the authors estimate mixing from several variations of the finescale shear-strain parameterization, as well as Thorpe-scale analysis of overturns. Though all estimated diffusivities are modest in magnitude, average diffusivity in the top kilometer shows a factor of 2-4 elevation near and equatorward of 29 degrees N. However, given intrinsic uncertainty and the strong temporal variability of diffusivity observed in long mooring records, the meridional mixing pattern is found to be near the edge of statistical significance. |
| Mots-clés | : | BREAKING; DIFFUSIVITY; INTERNAL GRAVITY-WAVES; MICROSTRUCTURE; OVERTURNS; PARAMETERIZATIONS; STRAIN; THERMOCLINE; TIDAL ENERGY; TURBULENT DISSIPATION |
| Commentaire | : | Times Cited in Web of Science Core Collection: 40 |
| Tags | : | - |
| Fichier attaché | : | - |
| Citation | : |
MacKinnon JA, Alford MH, Pinkel R, Klymak JM, Zhao ZX (2013) The Latitudinal Dependence of Shear and Mixing in the Pacific Transiting the Critical Latitude for PSI. J Phys Oceanogr 43: 3-16 | doi: 10.1175/JPO-D-11-0107.1
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