An investigation of internal mixing in a seasonally stratified shelf sea

Palmer, M. R.; Rippeth, T. P.; Simpson, J. H.. 2008 An investigation of internal mixing in a seasonally stratified shelf sea. Journal of Geophysical Research, 113 (C12). C12005. 10.1029/2007JC004531

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Abstract/Summary

The shelf sea seasonal thermocline is a critical interface within the marine environment, separating the euphotic zone from nutrient-rich deep water. Fluxes across the thermocline therefore represent a key biogeochemical pathway. In this paper we quantify the rate of mixing across the seasonal thermocline for a location in the Celtic Sea and investigate the processes responsible for driving thermocline fluxes. Profiles of the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy (e) show enhanced dissipation within the thermocline region (similar to 6 x 10(-5) W m(-3)). The diffusivity implied by these measurements is similar to 0.5 cm(2) s(-1), similar to previous shelf sea studies, and is sufficient to explain the observed warming of the deep water, suggesting that vertical mixing is the dominant control on water column structure. Two potential sources of mixing energy are identified, the internal tide and near-inertial waves. The mechanism of energy transfer from the candidate ! mixing mechanisms to turbulence is not clear. Thermocline dissipation rates were found to have no Richardson number dependence, but scaled positively with N-2 and S-2, in agreement with a previous turbulence parameterization. Application of this model to our data does a good job of capturing the mean characteristics of the observed heating flux across the thermocline, although none of the short-term fluctuations in mixing were reproduced

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2007JC004531
Programmes:	Oceans 2025 > Shelf and coastal processes
ISSN:	0148-0227
Additional Keywords:	NEW ENGLAND SHELF; TURBULENT DISSIPATION; NORTH SEA; WAVES; ENERGY; THERMOCLINE; MODELS; OCEAN; SHEAR; TIDE GAUGE
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences
Date made live:	30 Mar 2009 13:43 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/6506

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1029/2007JC004531

Programmes:

Oceans 2025 > Shelf and coastal processes

ISSN:

0148-0227

Additional Keywords:

NEW ENGLAND SHELF; TURBULENT DISSIPATION; NORTH SEA; WAVES; ENERGY; THERMOCLINE; MODELS; OCEAN; SHEAR; TIDE GAUGE

NORA Subject Terms:

Marine Sciences