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Efficiency of turbulent mixing in the abyssal ocean circulation

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posted on 2023-05-19, 05:40 authored by Mashayek, A, Salehipour, H, Bouffard, D, Caulfield, CP, Ferrari, R, Maxim NikurashinMaxim Nikurashin, Peltier, WR, Smyth, WD
Turbulent mixing produced by breaking of internal waves plays an important role in setting the patterns of downwelling and upwelling of deep dense waters and thereby helps sustain the global deep ocean overturning circulation. A key parameter used to characterize turbulent mixing is its efficiency, defined here as the fraction of the energy available to turbulence that is invested in mixing. Efficiency is conventionally approximated by a constant value near one sixth. Here we show that efficiency varies significantly in the abyssal ocean and can be as large as approximately one third in density stratified regions near topographic features. Our results indicate that variations in efficiency exert a first-order control over the rate of overturning of the lower branch of the meridional overturning circulation.

Funding

Australian Research Council

History

Publication title

Geophysical Research Letters

Volume

44

Issue

12

Pagination

6296-6306

ISSN

0094-8276

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Amer Geophysical Union

Place of publication

2000 Florida Ave Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20009

Rights statement

Copyright 2017 American Geophysical Union

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Climate change models

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