Estimates of YVETTE Measurement Error,
Abstract
YVETTE is a free-fall instrument package which measures temperature, conductivity, pressure, and horizontal velocity in the upper ocean. From the direct measurements, the density, rho, and gradient (or differenced) quantities such as Brunt-Vaisala frequency, N=-(g/rho) (partial derivative rho/partial derivative z), and the square of the vertical shear, S squared=(partial derivative u/partial derivative z) squared +(partial derivative v/partial derivative z) squared, can be calculated. Data from YVETTE have been used to determine empirical relations between N squared and S squared, and variations in these relations among different oceanographic regions. The purpose of this report is to address questions that have arisen as to the reliability of the measurements and the ensuing analyses. Sources on noise in the measurements are identified and the noise magnitudes are estimated. Estimates of noise in the calculated values of N squared and S squared are made based on an expression derived by Gregg (1979). It is concluded that the shear characterizations, the N squared/S squared relations, and other conclusions reached to date are not affected by the noise errors described here. Some estimates of the wavenumber limits of these analyses are also made.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA115384
Entities
People
- E. J. Molinelli
- F. C. Newman
- S. L. Patterson