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SUMMARY:Near-inertial waves and turbulence in the winter Gulf Stream - Dan
  Whitt (DAMTP)
DTSTART:20151026T130000Z
DTEND:20151026T140000Z
UID:TALK61537@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Doris Allen
DESCRIPTION:Turbulent mixing in oceanic western boundary currents plays a 
 potentially important role in the global tracer circulation\, biogeochemic
 al cycles\, mode water formation\, and the energetics of the general circu
 lation. Yet\, the physics that lead to turbulence in the thermocline of we
 stern boundary currents are not well understood\, either theoretically or 
 empirically. Recent (2007 and 2012) observations in the winter Gulf Stream
  reveal coherent downward propagating near-inertial internal waves and enh
 anced turbulence localized to the upper thermocline of the front. The infe
 rred average diapycnal diffusivity (~10^{-4} m^2/s) is an order of magnitu
 de larger than both the canonical average diffusivity in the ocean thermoc
 line and the maximum average diffusivity observed in the Gulf Stream therm
 ocline during several previous experiments in other seasons.\n\nConsiderat
 ion of how the physics of near-inertial internal waves are modified by the
  strongly baroclinic Gulf Stream gives insight into how and why the upper 
 thermocline of the Gulf Stream might be a hotspot for near-inertial wave a
 ctivity and diapycnal mixing during winter\, as observed. However\, compar
 isons between theory\, numerical simulations\, and observations also revea
 l new questions for future research.
LOCATION:MR5\, Centre for Mathematical Sciences
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