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Vertical patterns of eddy diffusion during stratification in Castle Lake, California 1
Author(s) -
Jassby Alan,
Powell Thomas
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1975.20.4.0530
Subject(s) - epilimnion , eddy diffusion , stratification (seeds) , thermal diffusivity , thermal stratification , geology , turbulence , diffusion , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , hypolimnion , seed dormancy , germination , botany , dormancy , nutrient , eutrophication , biology , organic chemistry
The vertical eddy diffusivity for heat, K z , which characterizes the intensity of vertical mixing, was estimated for depths below the epilimnion in Castle Lake, California, calculated from a series of temperature profiles collected during summer 1972 suitably corrected for solar radiation absorption. K z was usually much larger than the molecular value of diffusivity, indicating that thermal energy is transported in the vertical almost entirely by turbulent mechanisms, even below the epilimnion. Further, K z varied significantly with depth and was well described in the region of high stratification by the form K z = b(N 2 ) m , where m = −0.40 ± 0.02 and N 2 =(Brunt‐Vaisala frequency) 2 , a result close to a previous theoretical prediction.