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Vertical mixing in the ocean

Vertical mixing in the ocean
Vertical mixing in the ocean
The thermohaline circulation of the ocean results primarily from downwelling at sites in the Nordic and Labrador Seas and upwelling throughout the rest of the ocean. The latter is often described as being due to breaking internal waves. Here we reconcile the difference between theoretical and observed estimates of vertical mixing in the deep ocean by presenting a revised view of the thermohaline circulation, which allows for additional upwelling in the Southern Ocean and the separation of the North Atlantic Deep Water cell from the Antarctic Bottom Water cell. The changes also mean that much less wind and tidal energy needs to be dissipated in the deep ocean than was originally thought.
0028-0836
p37
Webb, D.J.
6fc412d4-f113-4e55-9e3a-dad18223a445
Suginohara, N.
86d651c6-2495-4b0d-b268-96f8bc99f522
Webb, D.J.
6fc412d4-f113-4e55-9e3a-dad18223a445
Suginohara, N.
86d651c6-2495-4b0d-b268-96f8bc99f522

Webb, D.J. and Suginohara, N. (2001) Vertical mixing in the ocean. Nature, 409, p37. (doi:10.1038/35051171).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The thermohaline circulation of the ocean results primarily from downwelling at sites in the Nordic and Labrador Seas and upwelling throughout the rest of the ocean. The latter is often described as being due to breaking internal waves. Here we reconcile the difference between theoretical and observed estimates of vertical mixing in the deep ocean by presenting a revised view of the thermohaline circulation, which allows for additional upwelling in the Southern Ocean and the separation of the North Atlantic Deep Water cell from the Antarctic Bottom Water cell. The changes also mean that much less wind and tidal energy needs to be dissipated in the deep ocean than was originally thought.

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Published date: January 2001
Organisations: Marine Systems Modelling

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 205755
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/205755
ISSN: 0028-0836
PURE UUID: 59aa316d-e465-49b8-8f61-c92f4739d090

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Date deposited: 13 Dec 2011 15:20
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:35

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Contributors

Author: D.J. Webb
Author: N. Suginohara

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