Open AccessThe mixing efficiency of interfacial waves breaking at a ridge: 2. Local mixing processes
Author(s) -
Hult E. L.,
Troy C. D.,
Koseff J. R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2010jc006488
Subject(s) - froude number , mixing (physics) , turbulence , bathymetry , environmental science , ridge , mechanics , breaking wave , geology , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , physics , wave propagation , flow (mathematics) , optics , oceanography , paleontology , quantum mechanics
The efficiency with which internal wave energy is converted irreversibly to diapycnal mixing in bathymetry‐induced mixing events is of great importance to larger‐scale ocean modeling efforts. High‐resolution laboratory measurements are used to investigate the spatial and temporal variability of interfacial wave breaking events at a submerged bathymetric ridge. From high spatial resolution measurements, it appears the local efficiency can vary significantly. Parameterizations based on the turbulent Reynolds number and Froude number suggest that the local mixing efficiency within the overturning patch at the interface is 10–17% but the local efficiency is near zero within the relatively homogenous layers. When the local mixing efficiency is integrated over the entire event, the resulting overall efficiency is consistent with the result from Part 1 that the overall event efficiency is 3–8%. This spatial variation in the mixing efficiency reinforces the importance of dynamic mixing efficiency parameterizations based on local stratified turbulence parameters.