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Inferring the eddy‐induced diffusivity for heat in the surface mixed layer using satellite data
Author(s) -
Zhai Xiaoming,
Greatbatch Richard J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl027875
Subject(s) - eddy diffusion , thermal diffusivity , sea surface height , geology , mixed layer , flux (metallurgy) , satellite , gulf stream , altimeter , surface layer , sea surface temperature , heat flux , eddy covariance , range (aeronautics) , climatology , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , meteorology , turbulence , layer (electronics) , remote sensing , heat transfer , physics , materials science , mechanics , thermodynamics , astronomy , metallurgy , composite material , ecology , ecosystem , biology
The eddy‐induced diffusivity for heat at the surface of the western North Atlantic Ocean is estimated using satellite altimetry and sea surface temperature data. A rotational eddy flux is removed from the total eddy flux following the ideas of Marshall and Shutts (1981). The resulting eddy‐induced diffusivity shows considerable spatial variability with a value near 10 4 m 2 s −1 just to the south of the Gulf Stream and values in the range 1–2 × 10 3 m 2 s −1 within the Gulf Stream itself.