Quantify Lateral Dispersion and Turbulent Mixing by Spatial Array of chi-EM-APEX Floats

Our long-term scientific goals are to understand the dynamics and identify mechanisms of small-scale processes i.e., internal tides, inertial waves, nonlinear internal waves, vortical modes, and turbulence mixing in the ocean and thereby help develop improved parameterizations of mixing for ocean models. Mixing within the stratified ocean is a particular focus as the complex interplay of internal waves from a variety of sources and turbulence makes this a current locus of uncertainty. Our focus is on observing processes that lead to lateral mixing of water properties. Our primary scientific objective is to improve our understanding and parameterization schemes of small- to submeso-scale oceanic processes. Dispersion due to lateral processes with vertical and horizontal shears could enhance turbulent mixing. Both internal waves and vortical motions exist at vertical scales smaller than order of 10 m and horizontal scales smaller than few km. They have distinct kinematics and dynamics. Internal waves propagate and may carry energy to remote regions before they break and dissipate via turbulent processes, whereas vortical motions do not propagate and are often long lived. Separation of these two motions is necessary to improve parameterization schemes.
Prepared in collaboration with the School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle.