DOI: 10.1002/2013GL058403
论文题名: Marginal instability and deep cycle turbulence in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean
作者: Smyth W.D. ; Moum J.N.
刊名: Geophysical Research Letters
ISSN: 0094-8318
EISSN: 1944-8049
出版年: 2013
卷: 40, 期: 23 起始页码: 6181
结束页码: 6185
语种: 英语
英文关键词: instability
; mixing
; ocean
; turbulence
Scopus关键词: Eastern equatorial Pacific
; Equatorial Pacific Ocean
; Marginal instabilities
; ocean
; Richardson number
; Stable equilibrium
; Stratified turbulence
; Turbulence measurements
; Mixing
; Oceanography
; Plasma stability
; Stability
; Turbulence
; air-sea interaction
; data set
; historical record
; marine atmosphere
; mixing
; Richardson number
; seasonal variation
; shear
; stratification
; trade wind
; turbulence
; wind forcing
; Pacific Ocean
; Pacific Ocean (Equatorial)
英文摘要: Deep cycle mixing in the cold tongue of the equatorial Pacific Ocean is associated with a mean flow regime in which the gradient Richardson number Ri (a ratio of stratification to shear that affects the evolution of turbulence) fluctuates about a critical value near 14. This is the state of marginal instability (MI), a stable equilibrium between forcing by the trade winds (which works to reduce Ri) and turbulence (which works to increase Ri). Besides providing insight into the physics of deep cycle turbulence, MI is easily recognized in moored records of currents and density, and may therefore provide a valuable indicator of turbulence in historical data where direct turbulence measurements were not made. In this initial study, the seasonal cycle of MI is described. MI is present for 9 months of the year but disappears in March, April, and May, consistent with the recently discovered springtime minimum of equatorial turbulence. Key Points Deep cycle turbulence in the equatorial Pacific ocean is marginally unstable Marginal instability indicates the presence of sheared, stratified turbulence Marginal instability can be assessed using historical data ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84889032665&doi=10.1002%2f2013GL058403&partnerID=40&md5=62a017f2948ab7c12d3b41c0bf2784a8
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资源类型: 期刊论文
标识符: http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/5582
Appears in Collections: 气候减缓与适应
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作者单位: College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
Recommended Citation:
Smyth W.D.,Moum J.N.. Marginal instability and deep cycle turbulence in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean[J]. Geophysical Research Letters,2013-01-01,40(23).