Thermohaline structures across the Luzon Strait from seismic reflection data

A legacy seismic section across the Luzon Strait was reprocessed using the pre-stack depth migration method to reveal thermohaline structures in the water column. Distinct finescale and mesoscale features can be seen from the seismic image. Vertically, reflective patterns are associated with three water layers: upper layer, intermediate layer, and deep layer. The upper layer can be divided into three areas by two opposing weak-to-transparent zones from west to east with individual thicknesses: ～400, 550, and 700 m. They are interpreted as the South China Sea upper water, the Kuroshio water, and the Pacific upper water, respectively, separated by two Kuroshio frontal zones. Internal waves are ubiquitous in the Kuroshio water fluctuating in different amplitudes and wavelengths laterally. The finestructure shows the western Kuroshio front zone is composed of three subparallel blanking zones with an average eastward dipping angle of 2.3°. They are regarded as the well-mixed frontal interfaces developed in and along a multi-frontal frontal zone. The transparent reflection of the intermediate water above the Hengchun is suggestive of a well-mixed layer by the near-bottom turbulence. In the Pacific intermediate water near the eastern mouth of the Bashi Channel, there is an inverted crescent-shaped structure, which is likely associated with the intrusion of the South China Sea intermediate water through the Bashi Channel. These imaged features are consistent with the observed oceanographic phenomena in the region.     

Contrasting the interleaving in two baroclinic ocean fronts

To investigate the effects of baroclinicity on frontal interleaving, we contrast the interleaving characteristics of two fronts, one in the Arctic Ocean and the other surrounding a Mediterranean salt lens (Meddy). The Meddy is broken into two parts based on the vertical temperature and salinity structure, so our comparison involves three sets of interleaving observations. The cross-front slopes of intrusions relative to horizontal and isopycnal surfaces are taken to be key diagnostics of the interleaving dynamics. Assuming the observed slopes match those that were present during the initial growth of interleaving, we use an instability theory to infer the dominant form of double diffusion that was active during the growth stage. Then, to investigate the observed interleaving, we use a steady-state model to infer the dominant form of double diffusion at the time of observation. In the Arctic Ocean front, it appears that different forms of double diffusion dominated the two stages of interleaving (salt fingering during the growth stage and diffusive convection at steady state). In contrast, in the Meddy, the same form of double diffusion appears to have dominated both stages of interleaving (salt fingering in the lower part of the Meddy, diffusive convection in the upper part). In the Arctic Ocean front, the observations suggest that interleaving was driven by baroclinicity as well as double diffusion. In both parts of the Meddy, however, driving was by double diffusion only. Motivated by these differences, we suggest a new intrusion classification scheme, based on the slopes of intrusions relative to horizontal and isopycnal surfaces.     

海洋细结构综述

回顾海洋细结构研究发展过程，阐明海洋细结构基本概念，成因和类型，简单介绍几种用于细结构研究的多参数测量仪器，概述细结构谱特性的研究成果及几个解释模式，总结Ｃｏｘ数与Ｒｉｃｈａｒｄｓｏｎ数的统计特性。最后，阐述目前细结构研究的几个焦点问题并预测近期研究的趋势。     

Localized stirring in a field of salt-fingers

In a series of laboratory experiments, a partially mixed patch was produced in thick linear concentration gradients favorable to salt-finger convection. Salt-fingers, which give rise to an up-gradient flux of buoyancy, can reduce and invert the density gradient in the initial imposed patch. This leads to overturning convection within the patch if (a) the ratio of ambient T and S gradients, R_ρ=αT_z/βS_z, is near one; (b) the initial imposed turbulence results in a nearly well-mixed patch; and (c) the patch thickness is large enough that convective eddies are able to transport T and S faster than salt-fingers. Once overturning occurs, subsequent turbulent entrainment can lead to growth of the patch thickness. Experimental results for one-dimensional patches (layers) agree well with the theoretical prediction. This thickening is in contrast to the collapse that a partially mixed three-dimensional patch would experience due to lateral intrusion in a wide tank.