Open AccessThe effect on simulated ocean climate of a parameterization of unbroken wave‐induced mixing incorporated into the k‐epsilon mixing scheme
Author(s) -
Walsh Kevin,
Govekar Pallavi,
Babanin Alexander V.,
Ghantous Malek,
Spence Paul,
Scoccimarro Enrico
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of advances in modeling earth systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.03
H-Index - 58
ISSN - 1942-2466
DOI - 10.1002/2016ms000707
Subject(s) - mixing (physics) , turbulence , climate model , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , climatology , wind wave , meteorology , geology , climate change , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics
A new parameterization of mixing processes in the upper ocean is tested in a ¼° resolution global ocean climate model. The parameterization represents the effect of turbulent mixing by unbroken waves as an additional turbulent shear production term in the k‐epsilon mixing scheme. The results show that the inclusion of this parameterization has a noticeable effect on ocean climate, particularly in regions of high wave activity such as the Southern Ocean. Inclusion of this process also leads to some reduction in the biases of the simulated climate, including mixed layer depth, compared with available observations.