Lateral Mixing

Abstract

Objectives: Existing high resolution regional models typically resolve the mean vertical structure of the upper ocean boundary layer. Physically-based parameterizations of vertical fluxes make it possible to account for subgrid mixing at length scales smaller than the layer depth, but no specialized parameterization is used to represent the dynamics of horizontal mixing below the O(1)km - O(10)km resolution scale. We aim to determine the physical limitations of subgrid parameterization on these scales. These projects address the following questions: * What physics govern horizontal and vertical mixing in the presence of horizontal variability on the 1-10 km scale? * What is the relative importance of horizontal and vertical mixing in determining the structure of the boundary layer? * What physics should be included to improve parameterizations?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2013
Accession Number
ADA600988

Entities

People

  • Eric A. D'Asaro

Organizations

  • University of Washington

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Tracking
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Buoyancy
  • Fresh Water
  • Gulf Stream
  • Heavy Water
  • High Resolution
  • Layers
  • Models
  • Oceans
  • Physics
  • Sea Surface Temperature
  • Surface Temperature
  • Surveys
  • Three Dimensional
  • Water

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Coastal Oceanography