TY - JOUR
T1 - Scaling laws for the upper ocean temperature dissipation rate
AU - Bogucki, DJ
AU - Huguenard, K
AU - Haus, BK
AU - Ozgokmen, TM
AU - Reniers, Ad
AU - Laxague, NJM
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Our understanding of temperature dissipation rate χ within the upper ocean boundary layer, which is critical for climate forecasts, is very limited. Near-surface turbulence also affects dispersion of contaminants and biogeochemical tracers. Using high-resolution optical turbulence measurements, scaling laws for χ are investigated under forcing states where either the daytime heat flux or the wind stress forcing is dominant. We find that χ remains constant over 1.5 times the significant wave height, while over a layer below, χ decays based on the local surface forcing. When the heat flux is dominant, traditional scaling based on the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory remains valid; χ â? z-1. When the wind stress dominates, we observe the emergence of a new scaling, χ â? z-1/2, which is explained by invoking the effect of small-scale coherent structures on vertical heat transport. These results have implications for improved modeling of the ocean's heat and CO2 intake. Key Point We proposed a new χ scaling
AB - Our understanding of temperature dissipation rate χ within the upper ocean boundary layer, which is critical for climate forecasts, is very limited. Near-surface turbulence also affects dispersion of contaminants and biogeochemical tracers. Using high-resolution optical turbulence measurements, scaling laws for χ are investigated under forcing states where either the daytime heat flux or the wind stress forcing is dominant. We find that χ remains constant over 1.5 times the significant wave height, while over a layer below, χ decays based on the local surface forcing. When the heat flux is dominant, traditional scaling based on the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory remains valid; χ â? z-1. When the wind stress dominates, we observe the emergence of a new scaling, χ â? z-1/2, which is explained by invoking the effect of small-scale coherent structures on vertical heat transport. These results have implications for improved modeling of the ocean's heat and CO2 intake. Key Point We proposed a new χ scaling
U2 - 10.1002/2014GL062235
DO - 10.1002/2014GL062235
M3 - Article
SN - 0094-8276
VL - 42
SP - 839
EP - 846
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
JF - Geophysical Research Letters
IS - 3
ER -