Water-mass transformation in the shelf seas

Badin, G.; Williams, R. G.; Sharples, J.. 2010 Water-mass transformation in the shelf seas. Journal of Marine Research, 68 (2). 189-214. https://doi.org/10.1357/002224010793721442

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Abstract/Summary

The rate at which water masses are transformed from one density class to another is assessed in the shelf seas using the Walin (1982) framework. For a tidal-mixing front, the transformation is estimated using air-sea density fluxes and the diapycnal mixing diagnosed from a series of one-dimensional mixed layer models running across the shelf. These transformation rates diagnosed from the air-sea fluxes and diapycnal mixing agree with volume changes dagnosed directly from the model. The transformation from air-sea fluxes reaches a maximum amplitude typically twice that provided by diffusive mixing. This framework is extended to estimate the rate at which nutrients are converted in nutrient space including the effects of biological consumption. The transformation in density and nutrient space are broadly related in the spring when there is a relatively tight relationship between density and nutrient concentrations. For a shelf-break front in the Celtic Seas, the transformation is estimated from a combination of observed air-sea fluxes, remotely-sensed sea surface temperature and ship-based measurements of density and turbulent mixing. The transformation is controlled by diapycnal mixing along dense surfaces and by air-sea fluxes for lighter surfaces, and each contribution reaches comparable magnitudes over a six-month period

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1357/002224010793721442
Programmes:	Oceans 2025 > Shelf and coastal processes
ISSN:	0022-2402
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	UK Natural Environment Research Council (Grant NE/D011108/1). Sea surface temperature data were obtained from the NERC Earth Observation Data Acquisition and Analysis Service
Additional Keywords:	COASTAL OCEAN PROCESSES; VERTICAL NITRATE FLUXES; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; TIDAL FRONTS; SURFACE WATERS; TURBULENCE
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences
Date made live:	23 Feb 2011 16:14 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13608

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1357/002224010793721442

Programmes:

Oceans 2025 > Shelf and coastal processes

ISSN:

0022-2402

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

UK Natural Environment Research Council (Grant NE/D011108/1). Sea surface temperature data were obtained from the NERC Earth Observation Data Acquisition and Analysis Service

Additional Keywords:

COASTAL OCEAN PROCESSES; VERTICAL NITRATE FLUXES; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; TIDAL FRONTS; SURFACE WATERS; TURBULENCE

NORA Subject Terms:

Marine Sciences

Date made live:

23 Feb 2011 16:14 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13608