LIDAR Studies of Small-Scale Lateral Dispersion in the Ocean

Abstract

Our long-term goal is to better understand lateral mixing processes in the ocean on scales of 10 m to 10 km, i.e., the submesoscale . We aim to understand the underlying mechanisms and forcing, as well as the temporal, spatial, and scale variability of such mixing. This research will contribute to fundamental knowledge of ocean dynamics at these scales, and to efforts to properly parameterize sub-grid scale mixing and stirring in numerical models. Ultimately our research will also enhance modeling and understanding of upper ocean ecosystems, since the flow of nutrients and plankton depends on stirring and mixing at these scales. Note: This report is almost identical to the one submitted by Miles Sundermeyer, since we have done the field work and its analysis together. However, we have left out the modeling work that Sundermeyer has done with Lelong and Birch. See his report for that work and associated publications.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2012
Accession Number
ADA590442

Entities

People

  • Eugene Terray
  • James R. Ledwell

Organizations

  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Airborne
  • Data Analysis
  • Dispersions
  • Dyes
  • Engineering
  • Fluorescence
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Frequency
  • Gulf Stream
  • Internal Waves
  • Laser Dyes
  • Mixing
  • Oceans
  • Sampling
  • Sargasso Sea
  • Teamwork
  • Trajectories

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Canadian European Scientific Immigration and Epilepsy Clearance Studies
  • Coastal Oceanography