Complexity of mesoscale eddy diffusivity in the ocean
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Kamenkovich, Igor
Berloff, Pavel
Haigh, Michael
Sun, Luolin
Lu, Yueyang
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Stirring of water by mesoscale currents (“eddies”) leads to large‐scale transport of many important oceanic properties (“tracers”). These eddy‐induced transports can be related to the large‐scale tracer gradients, using the concept of turbulent diffusion. The concept is widely used to describe these transports in the real ocean and to represent them in climate models. This study focuses on the inherent complexity of the corresponding coefficient tensor (“K‐tensor”) and its components, defined here in all its spatio‐temporal complexity. Results demonstrate that this comprehensive K‐tensor is space‐, time‐, direction‐ and tracer‐dependent. Using numerical simulations with both idealized and comprehensive models of the Atlantic circulation, we show that these properties lead to upgradient eddy fluxes and the potential importance of all tensor components. The uncovered complexity of the eddy transports calls for reconsideration of how they are estimated in practice, included in the general circulation models and theoretically interpreted.
Date Issued
2021-03-16
Date Acceptance
2020-12-22
Citation
Geophysical Research Letters, 2021, 48 (5), pp.1-12
ISSN
0094-8276
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1
End Page
12
Journal / Book Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
48
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2020. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
The Leverhulme Trust
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000627892100092&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NE/R011567/1
RPG-2019-024
NE/T002220/1
EP/V520354/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Geology
climate and ocean modeling
eddy diffusivity
mesoscale eddies
ocean dynamics
tracer transport
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN e2020GL091719
Date Publish Online
2020-12-28