Is the small-scale turbulence an exclusive breaking product of oceanic internal waves

On the basis of the theoretical research results by the author and the literature published up to date, the analysis and the justification presented in this paper show that the breaking products of oceanic internal waves are not only turbulence, but also the fine-scale near-inertial internal waves (the oceanic reversible finestructure) for inertial waves and the internal solitary waves for internal tides respectively. It was found that the oceanic reversible finestructure may be induced by the effect of the horizontal component f (f = 2Ωcosφ) of the rotation vector on inertial waves. And a new instability of the theoretical shear and strain spectra due to the effect of f occurs at critical vertical wavenumber β c ≈ 0.1 cpm. It happens when the levels of shear and strain of the reversible finestructure are higher than those of inertial waves, which is induced by the effect of f along an "iso-potential-pycnal" of internal wave. If all breaking products of internal waves are taken into account, the average kinetic energy dissipation rate is an order of magnitude larger than the values of turbulence observed by microstructure measurements. The author’s theoretical research results are basically in agreement with those observed in IWEX, DRIFTER and PATCHEX experiments. An important impersonal fact is that on the mean temporal scale of thermohaline circulation these breaking products of internal waves exist simultaneously with turbulence. Because inertial waves are generated by winds at the surface, and internal tides are generated by strong tide-topography interactions, the analysis and justification in this paper support in principle the abyssal recipes Ⅱ:energetics of tidal and wind mixing by Munk & Wunsch in 1998, in despite of the results of microstructure measurements for the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate and the diapycnal turbulent eddy diffusivity.     

THE VERTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNAL WAVES IN SHALLOW REGION OF THE EAST CHINA SEA ANALYSED FROM CTD DATA

The vertical characters of temperature, salinity and density fluctuations in shallow region of the East China Sea are analysed by using 12 CTD short records with 1-hour intervals. The average S,t and p profiles can be divided into three distinctive layers: the thermocline, and the layers above and below it. The fluctuations of t, S and p are basically caused by internal waves, but there are somewhat intrusions or entrainments at the thermocline boundaries. The vertical displacement of the thermocline centre is up to more than 6.35m and the thermocline thickness changes from 3.5 to 8.0 m. Their varature with time are intermittent and rather irregular. The vertical wavenumber spectra of temperature fluctuations have been estimated by using the maximum entropy method, indicating that energy is mainly contained in the low-wavenumber range (<0.13cpm) with two sharp peaks probably corresponding to the first and second modes of internal waves, whose dependence is estimated to be less than β-2. There exist dep     

Oceanic thermohaline intrusions: theory

This is a review of theories governing growth and evolution of thermohaline intrusive motions. We discuss theories based on eddy coefficients and salt finger flux ratios and also on molecular Fickian diffusion, drawing relationships and parallels where possible. We discuss linear theories of various physical configurations, effects of rotation and shear, and nonlinear theories. A key requirement for such theories to become quantitatively correct is the development and field testing of relationships between double-diffusive fluxes and average vertical gradients of temperature and salinity. While we have some ideas about the functional dependencies and rough observational constraints on the magnitudes of such flux/gradient relationships, many questions will not be answered until usable ‘flux laws’ exist. Furthermore, numerical experiments on double-diffusive intrusions are currently feasible, but will have more quantitative meaning when fluxes are parameterised with such laws. We conclude that more work needs to be done in at least two areas. Firstly, tests of linear theory against observations should continue, particularly to discover the extent to which linear theories actually explain the genesis of intrusions. Secondly, theoretical studies are needed on the nonlinear effects that control the evolution and finite amplitude state of intrusions, since these determine the lateral fluxes of salt, heat, and momentum.     

A case study of internal solitary wave propagation during ASIAEX 2001

During the recent Asian Seas International Acoustics Experiment (ASIAEX), extensive current meter moorings were deployed around the continental shelf-break area in the northeastern South China Sea. Thirteen RADARSAT SAR images were collected during the field test to integrate with the in situ measurements from the moorings, ship-board sensors, and conductivity/temperatire/depth (CTD) casts. Besides providing a synoptic view of the entire region, satellite imagery is very useful for tracking the internal waves, locating surface fronts, and identifying mesoscale features. During ASIAEX in May 2001, many large internal waves were observed at the test area and were the major oceanic features studied for acoustic volume interaction. Based on the internal wave distribution maps compiled from satellite data, the wave crests can be as long as 200 km with an amplitude of 100 m. Environmental parameters have been calculated based on extensive CTD casts data near the ASIAEX area. Nonlinear internal wave models have been applied to integrate and assimilate both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and mooring data. Using SAR data in deep water as an initial condition, numerical simulations produced the wave evolution on the continental shelf and compared reasonably well with the mooring measurements at the downstream station. The shoaling, turning, and dissipation of large internal waves at the shelf break have been studied and are very important issues for acoustic propagation.     

关于南沙海域内波与细结构研究

作者综述了南沙海域内波及细结构研究现状。首先介绍研究中所用的国际或国内首次使用的一些研究方法,它们包括最基础的ＣＴＤ资料质量控制的方法,浮力频率计算方法、频散关系和波函数计算方法,细结构概率分布假设检验方法,内波检测方法,内潮计算的谱差分方法等。而后总结所得的研究成果（其中一部分是首次发表的）,它们包括南沙海区浮力频率的分类及其随地域和季节的变化规律;内波频散关系和波函数;细结构特性及其与内波的关系;细结构的非高斯概率分布特性;垂向波数谱特性及其随季节、地域及水层的变化;频率特性;Ｃｏｘ 数及其概率分布;内潮特性等。最后对今后研究方向作了展望。     

南海西南海域的内波和细结构

根据１９９０年初夏南海西南部水域的两个连续站ＣＴＤ和多层海流计资料及５０多个大面站ＣＴＤ资料的分析研究得到一些关于此海域的内波和细结构的特性。它包括等温、盐、密度面起伏的特性，盐度双跃层和逆盐层等长存性细结构、温度Ｃｏｘ数的概率密度函数及流速频谱的特性，Ｃｏｘ数和温度脉动垂向波数谱的一般品性及其随水层和地域的变化规律等诸方面。     

南海北部陆架区内波的演变与耗散机制

海洋是多尺度强迫-耗散系统,机械能主要在大尺度输入,在小尺度耗散。在大、中尺度运动的能量向小尺度湍流传递过程中,内波扮演着重要角色。内波的生成和破碎可打破海洋动力平衡,而在陆架区,内波（主要是内孤立波）的浅化演变与耗散则是驱动湍流混合的关键过程。通过长期的理论、观测与数值模拟研究,目前已认识到内波浅化过程中主要发生如下演变：波形调制、极性转变、裂变、破碎与耗散。相较于直接发生破碎,浅化演变过程中的裂变及其引发的剪切不稳定和对流不稳定是内孤立波在陆架区的主要耗散机制,显著调制陆架区的跃层混合。从能量串级的角度讲,内孤立波浅化裂变为动力不稳定的高频内波是潮能串级的重要通道。本文简要回顾南海北部陆架区内波的研究历史,并着重总结内波在陆架区演变与耗散机制的研究进展。     

Characteristics of thermal finestructure in the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea from airborne expendable bathythermograph measurements

Four surveys of airborne expendable bathythermograph with horizontal spacing of about 35 km and vertical spacing of 1 m extending from the surface down to 400 m deep are used to analyze thermal finestructures and their seasonality in frontal zones of the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. Finestructure characteristics are different not only among fronts but also along the same front, implying different mixing mechanisms. Summer thermocline intrusions with thickness from few to 40 meters, generated by the vertically-sheared advection, are identified along the southern tongue of the Cheju-Yangtze Front (especially south of Cheju Island). The finestructures south of the Yangtze Bank (i.e. the western tip of the southern tongue) produced by strong along-frontal currents are not as rich as elsewhere in the southern tongue. The Cheju-Tsushima Front presents mixed finestructures due to confluent currents from various origins. The irregular-staircase finestructures in the Kuroshio region (below the seasonal thermocline), driven by double-diffusive mixing, show seasonal invariance and vertical/horizontal coherence. The strength of mixing related to finestructure is weaker in the Kuroshio region than in the Cheju-Tsushima Front or south of Cheju Island. The profiles in the Tsushima Warm Current branching area show large (∼50 m thick), irregular-staircase structures at the upper 230 m depth, which coincides roughly with the lower boundary of the maximum salinity layer. The finestructure at depths deeper 230 m is similar to that in the Kuroshio region. The possible mechanisms for generating the finestructures are also discussed.     

Thermal fronts and cross-frontal heat flux in the southern Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea

Synoptic features in/around thermal fronts and cross-frontal heat fluxes in the southern Huanghai./Yellow Sea and East China Sea （HES） were examined using the data collected from four airborne expendable bathythermograph surveys with horizontal approxmately 35 km and vertical 1 m（from the surface to 400 m deep） spacings. Since the fronts are strongly affected by HES current system, the synoptic thermal features in/around them represent the interaction of currents with surrounding water masses. These features can not be obtained from climatological data. The identified thermal features are listed as follows ： （ 1 ） multiple boundaries of cold water, asymmetric thermocline intrusion, locally-split front by homogeneous water of approxmately 18 ℃, and mergence of the front by the Taiwan Warm Current in/around summertime southern Cheju - Changjiang/Yangtze front and Tsushima front; （2） springtime frontal eddy-like feature around Tsushima front; （3） year-round cyclonic meandering and summertime temperature-inversion at the bottom of the surface mixed layer in Cheju - Tsushima front; and （4） multistructure of Kuroshio front. In the Kuroshio front the mean variance of vertical temperature gradient is an order of degree smaller than that in other HES fronts. The southern Cheju- Changjiang front and Cheju -Tsushima front are connected with each other in the summer with comparable cross-frontal temperature gradient. However, cross-frontal heat flux and lateral eddy diffusivity are stronger in the southern Cheju - Changjiang front. The cross-frontal heat exchange is the largest in the mixing zone between the modified Huanghai Sea bottom cold water and the Tsushima Warm Current, which is attributable to enhanced thermocline intrusions.     

北部湾东北部潮锋的观测与分析

近海潮锋的分布与温度、盐度乃至海洋生产力的分布都存在紧密联系。基于北部湾东北部的实测数据,对比分析2016—2017年北部湾东北部海域的温度、盐度、密度等分布,并利用ROMS(Regional Ocean Model System)正压与斜压模式,计算Simpson-Hunter (S-H)参数,阐述了潮锋出现位置及其与温度、盐度和密度的关系。结果表明:北部湾东北部潮锋发生的主要区域位于雷州半岛附近,潮混合区温盐密混合较为均匀。利用ROMS模式计算所得的最大垂直平均流速来计算S-H参数,认为潮锋出现位置位于S-H参数值为2处,与实测结果较为一致,且认为正压模式比斜压模式更能准确模拟潮混合区。另外,分析观测数据发现,温度、盐度、密度锋终年存在。近岸处密度锋主要受盐度锋控制,而潮混合产生的盐度锋又容易被径流掩盖。风力较大时三种锋都易向水深更深处推进,潮混合区终年垂向混合较好。     

Intrusive layering of the Antarctic slope front

Cascading of cold Antarctic shelf water (ASW) initiates compensatory isopycnic upwelling of the warm Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). The baroclinic/thermoclinic Antarctic slope front (ASF) is formed, and a mesoscale intrusive structure develops on the shelf edge and slope. Mesoscale processes when the ASF peaks are periodically accompanied by local baroclinic instability, which forms a smaller-scale intrusive structure. Therefore, the ASF is naturally subdivided into two layers according to the intrusion scales (vertical δН and horizontal L) and the horizontal parameters of the front (thermoclinity (T_L)_ρ and baroclinity γ_ρ). Analysis of ASF intrusive layering due to the baroclinic factor supports the following conclusion: the higher the (T_L)_ρ of the ASF, the greater the intrusion intensity |δθ| (temperature anomaly amplitude), while an increase in γ_ρ of the ASF leads to a decrease in intrusion scales δН and L. Frontal intrusions can be distinguished by a development degree. Regardless of the degree of development, all warm intrusions are characterized by vertical density stratification, while cold intrusions are characterized by density quasihomogeneity. According to field data, the ASF instability process is subdivided into four stages. When theASF is baroclinically unstable, the local baroclinic deformation radius Rd_L of the front is close in magnitude to the horizontal scale L of the intrusions that form, and their characteristic vertical scale δH is close to the typical vertical scale of front instability.     

Heat and mass transport by weakly non-linear internal waves in the presence of turbulence

The method of asymptotic multiscale expansion is applied to determine the mean current velocity and density fields induced by a packet of internal waves. In the limiting case of a weakly non-linear plane wave, heat, salt, and impulse vertical transport is conditioned by the vertical component of the Stokes drift velocity, which is non-zero, when turbulent viscosity and diffusion are considered. As the wave period decreases, the wave fluxes of heat, salt, and impulse increase. In shallow waters, these fluxes become more vigorous and may be comparable to the respective turbulent flows or even to be more powerful. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Study on heterogeneous distribution of plankters at oceanic fronts

In this paper, I review my study on heterogeneous distribution of plankters at oceanic fronts, taking advantage of an opportunity awarded the Okada Prize 1989 of the Oceanographical Society of Japan. The main focus is on the formation and retention mechanisms of phytoplankton peak abundance at the Kuroshio Front, and the events observed at other oceanic fronts, such as the Oyashio Front, the Antarctic Polar Front and the Subtropical Convergence in the southern hemisphere are compared to those found at the Kuroshio Front.Phytoplankton standing stock was hign in the inner cold belt of the Kuroshio Front. Since the inner cold belt form from water masses entrained into the front from coastal and/or the Oyashio areas, one of the characteristics of the phytoplankton community is high contribution of microplankton fraction. Rising of isopleths of temperature and nutrient saltsetc. at the front suggested that upwelling event occurred along the front. Incubation experiments with nutrient addition showed it would flourish the entrained species but oceanic ones when upwelling occurred at the front.Zooplankton was strongly aggregated at the Kuroshio Warm-Core Ring Front, and the peak of abundance was spatially separated in each individual. I thought that biological processes, such as motility and prey-predator interaction, play an important role to control the aggregated patterns.Since the cabbeling event is expected at the Oyashio Front where the relatively cold and low-salinity Oyashio water faces the relatively warm and saline water of the perturbed area, it appears that the phytoplankton species having larger density than that of sea water sink down there. The mixture of sea waters on both sides of the front, however, may accelerate their growth by supply of some deficient element (s).I consider that raise of temperature is the most plausible factor to make phytoplankton peak abundance at the Polar Front. Experiments on board showed that raising temperature activates photosynthesis of antarctic phytoplankton. Phytoplankton standing stock and productivity were also high at the Subtropical Convergence.The primary object of this study is the biological role of oceanic fronts for fish ecology. I consider that concentrated phyto- and zooplankton communities at oceanic fronts support the energy of migrating fishes, and also support the survival of juvenile fishes just after hatching which are transported from coastal areas.     

Numerical study of tidal front with varying sharpness in spring and neap tidal cycle

The temporal variation of tidal-front sharpness (i.e., the maximal gradient of sea surface temperature (SST)) in Iyo-Nada, Japan has been investigated using SST obtained by a commercial ferryboat. Tidal-front sharpness varies in time with a period of 15 days. A numerical model approach was also adopted to investigate the temporal variation of frontal sharpness. The numerical model, which contains a restoring term to express the tidal front reconstructed fortnightly by tides, reproduces the tidal front accompanied by growing and/or decaying frontal waves. The amplitude of modeled frontal sharpness agrees well with the observation. The amplitude of sharpness is much smaller than the observed value, unless frontal waves develop along the modeled front. This therefore implies that tidal fronts are destroyed mainly due to growing frontal waves, and are restored fortnightly at spring tides. We quantitatively evaluated the subsurface intrusion of seawater into the stratified region from the mixed region by conducting passive-tracer experiments. We find that the cross-frontal transport with frontal waves is 4.9 times larger than that without frontal waves. In addition, the cross-frontal transport reaches a long distance (about 25 km) because of heton (mushroom)-type eddies developing along the front with frontal waves.     

Stratification background conditions for development of double-diffusion processes in the North Pacific

Based on mean multiyear temperature and salinity data structural zones and layers are isolated. Within their limits there are favourable conditions for the development of processes such as layer convection and salt fingers. It is shown that distribution of their parameters is conditioned by location of intermediate water mass boundaries and front interfaces. Stability of the density ratio valueR for various areas is revealed. The obtained results are in good agreement with STD=sounding data. Compared are profiles ofR and local estimates of heat and salt fluxes for various structural zones.UDK 551.465.15     

基于调制不稳定性的吕宋海峡内孤立波生成机理探讨

The South China Sea (SCS) is a hot spot for oceanic internal solitary waves due to many factors, such as the complexity of the terrain environment. The internal solitary waves in the northern SCS mainl...     

Structure of intrusions and fronts in the deep layer of the Eurasian basin and Makarov basin (Arctic)

Numerous CTD data obtained in the Eurasian and Makarov basins in the Arctic during the Polarstern (1996), Oden, and Louis S. St. Laurent (1994) international polar expeditions are analysed to describe fronts and intrusions observed in the deep layer (600–1300 m). The hydrological parameters were estimated from available CTD data, which made it possible to identify different types of fronts (baroclinic, thermohaline, and compound types of fronts) and analyze intrusive layering taking into account the peculiarities of the thermohaline structure of fronts. The field data are interpreted using an interleaving model describing the formation of intrusions on the baroclinic and pure thermohaline fronts under conditions of absolutely stable stratification. It is assumed that differential mixing is the main instability mechanism. Estimates of the vertical and lateral diffusivities in the frontal zones of the deep Arctic layer are presented.     

大洋细结构的一种可能的机制Ⅲ.对混合过程动能耗散的估计

继第部分之后研究了惯性内波和近惯性内波由f～的作用所致的剪切不稳定引起的破碎机制。物理上,该机制很象存在由风应力所致薄表面涡旋漂流层时表面波的破碎与饱和过程。惯性内波和近惯性内波的破碎产物与小尺度湍流一起形成了混合块,它与Gregg等人(1986)的持久混合观测结果一致。依据Thorpe(1973)实验的结果作者提出了一个估计湍流动能耗散率和消衰时间的方法。结果表明,在剪切不稳定中近惯性内波在湍动耗散中起了关键作用,而惯性内波引起非常弱的湍动耗散。使用内波能量谱的标准总能量密度估计出的近惯性内波的耗散率和消衰时间与PATCHEX测量结果非常一致。文中还讨论了几个与此破碎机制有关的问题。     

Mixing processes relevant to phytoplankton dynamics in lakes

Active turbulence in lakes is confined to the surface mixed layer, to boundary layers on the lake sides and bottom, and to turbulent patches in the interior. The density stratification present in most lakes fundamentally alters the pathways connecting external mechanical energy inputs, for example by wind, with its ultimate fate as dissipation to heat; the density stratification supports internal waves and intrusions that distribute the input energy throughout the lake. Intrusions may be viewed as internal waves with zero horizontal wavenumber and are formed each time localised mixing occurs in a stratified fluid. Intrusions are also formed in the epilimnion by differential heating or cooling and by differential deepening. The fraction of lake volume below the diurnal mixed layer that is subject to active turbulence is very small, probably of the order of 1% or less in small to medium‐sized lakes. By contrast, in the surface mixed layer, turbulence is less intermittent and maintains phytoplankton in suspension and controls their exposure to the underwater solar flux. Nutrient transport to individual cells depends not only on the cell Reynolds number but also on the Peclet number, which, if large, implies enhanced mass transfer above purely diffusive values.     

基于数值模式评估细尺度参数化方案在南大洋背风波生成源地的适用性

验证基于GM(Garret-Munk)大洋内波普适谱的细尺度参数化方案在不同海域的适用性,对于湍流混合研究来说非常重要。包含背景GM内波场的高分辨率数值模式被用于评估细尺度参数化方案在背风波生成源地处的适用性。细尺度参数化方案主要包括基于剪切的G89 (Gregg 1989)方案、基于应变的W93 (Wijesekera 1993)方案、基于剪切和应变的GHP (Gregg-Henyey-Polzin)方案以及对GHP方案中的频率矫正项作出变换的IH (Ijichi-Hibiya)方案。计算结果显示,背风波的生成伴随着海底上方近惯性内波的增强,使得内波场的动能与势能的比值相较于GM内波场偏大。在这种情况下,基于剪切的G89方案会因为高估内波场的总能量而高估耗散率。反之,基于应变的W93方案会因为低估内波场的总能量而低估耗散率。计算结果还显示,已经考虑了内波谱变形的GHP方案仍然会高估耗散率,但IH方案能比较准确地估算耗散率。