The generation, propagation, and mixing of oceanic lee waves
File(s)
Author(s)
Baker, Lois Elizabeth
Type
Thesis
Abstract
Lee waves are generated when oceanic flows interact with rough seafloor topography. They extract momentum and energy from the geostrophic flow, causing drag and enhancing turbulent mixing in the ocean interior when they break. Mixing across density surfaces (diapycnal mixing) driven by lee waves and other topographic interaction processes in the abyssal ocean plays an important role in upwelling the densest waters in the global ocean, thus sustaining the lower cell of the meridional overturning circulation.
Lee waves are generated at spatial scales that are unresolved by global models, so their impact on the momentum and buoyancy budgets of the ocean through drag and diapycnal mixing must be parameterised. Linear theory is often used to estimate the generation rate of lee waves and to construct global maps of lee wave generation. However, this calculation and subsequent inferences of lee wave mixing rely on several restrictive assumptions. Furthermore, observations suggest that lee wave mixing in the deep ocean is significantly overestimated by this theory. In this thesis, we remove some common assumptions at each stage of the lee wave lifecycle to investigate the reasons for this discrepancy and to motivate and inform future climate model parameterisations.
Firstly, we investigate the way that seafloor topography is represented in lee wave parameterisations, finding that typical spectral methods can lead to an overestimate of wave energy flux. Next, we make the case for considering lee waves as a full water column process by modelling the effect of vertically varying background flows and the ocean surface on lee wave propagation. Finally, we take a holistic view of topographic mixing in the abyssal ocean, finding that deep stratified water mass interfaces may modify the nature of the lee wave field, and themselves contribute to mixing and upwelling in the deep ocean through topographic interaction.
Lee waves are generated at spatial scales that are unresolved by global models, so their impact on the momentum and buoyancy budgets of the ocean through drag and diapycnal mixing must be parameterised. Linear theory is often used to estimate the generation rate of lee waves and to construct global maps of lee wave generation. However, this calculation and subsequent inferences of lee wave mixing rely on several restrictive assumptions. Furthermore, observations suggest that lee wave mixing in the deep ocean is significantly overestimated by this theory. In this thesis, we remove some common assumptions at each stage of the lee wave lifecycle to investigate the reasons for this discrepancy and to motivate and inform future climate model parameterisations.
Firstly, we investigate the way that seafloor topography is represented in lee wave parameterisations, finding that typical spectral methods can lead to an overestimate of wave energy flux. Next, we make the case for considering lee waves as a full water column process by modelling the effect of vertically varying background flows and the ocean surface on lee wave propagation. Finally, we take a holistic view of topographic mixing in the abyssal ocean, finding that deep stratified water mass interfaces may modify the nature of the lee wave field, and themselves contribute to mixing and upwelling in the deep ocean through topographic interaction.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2023-01
Date Awarded
2023-07
Copyright Statement
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial Licence
License URL
Advisor
Mashayek, Ali
Sponsor
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/L016613/1
Publisher Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)