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Bringing physics to life at the submesoscale

Bringing physics to life at the submesoscale
Bringing physics to life at the submesoscale
A common dynamical paradigm is that turbulence in the upper ocean is dominated by three classes of motion: mesoscale geostrophic eddies, internal waves and microscale three-dimensional turbulence. Close to the ocean surface, however, a fourth class of turbulent motion is important: submesoscale frontal dynamics. These have a horizontal scale of O(1–10) km, a vertical scale of O(100) m, and a time scale of O(1) day. Here we review the physical-chemical-biological dynamics of submesoscale features, and discuss strategies for sampling them. Submesoscale fronts arise dynamically through nonlinear instabilities of the mesoscale currents. They are ephemeral, lasting only a few days after they are formed. Strong submesoscale vertical velocities can drive episodic nutrient pulses to the euphotic zone, and subduct organic carbon into the ocean's interior. The reduction of vertical mixing at submesoscale fronts can locally increase the mean time that photosynthetic organisms spend in the well-lit euphotic layer and promote primary production. Horizontal stirring can create intense patchiness in planktonic species. Submesoscale dynamics therefore can change not only primary and export production, but also the structure and the functioning of the planktonic ecosystem. Because of their short time and space scales, sampling of submesoscale features requires new technologies and approaches. This paper presents a critical overview of current knowledge to focus attention and hopefully interest on the pressing scientific questions concerning these dynamics.
0094-8276
L14602
Lévy, Marina
25b54a61-bc39-473b-b2a6-893a377c77b6
Ferrari, Raffaele
2dfe7e2b-caf5-4a6a-8db5-7a2c8839a3f5
Franks, Peter J.S.
6ab2b887-9042-40a8-a6ba-429bfbcdbe6d
Martin, Adrian P.
9d0d480d-9b3c-44c2-aafe-bb980ed98a6d
Rivière, Pascal
56c69092-50cf-435a-9db8-ce5ea81788ae
Lévy, Marina
25b54a61-bc39-473b-b2a6-893a377c77b6
Ferrari, Raffaele
2dfe7e2b-caf5-4a6a-8db5-7a2c8839a3f5
Franks, Peter J.S.
6ab2b887-9042-40a8-a6ba-429bfbcdbe6d
Martin, Adrian P.
9d0d480d-9b3c-44c2-aafe-bb980ed98a6d
Rivière, Pascal
56c69092-50cf-435a-9db8-ce5ea81788ae

Lévy, Marina, Ferrari, Raffaele, Franks, Peter J.S., Martin, Adrian P. and Rivière, Pascal (2012) Bringing physics to life at the submesoscale. Geophysical Research Letters, 39 (14), L14602. (doi:10.1029/2012GL052756).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A common dynamical paradigm is that turbulence in the upper ocean is dominated by three classes of motion: mesoscale geostrophic eddies, internal waves and microscale three-dimensional turbulence. Close to the ocean surface, however, a fourth class of turbulent motion is important: submesoscale frontal dynamics. These have a horizontal scale of O(1–10) km, a vertical scale of O(100) m, and a time scale of O(1) day. Here we review the physical-chemical-biological dynamics of submesoscale features, and discuss strategies for sampling them. Submesoscale fronts arise dynamically through nonlinear instabilities of the mesoscale currents. They are ephemeral, lasting only a few days after they are formed. Strong submesoscale vertical velocities can drive episodic nutrient pulses to the euphotic zone, and subduct organic carbon into the ocean's interior. The reduction of vertical mixing at submesoscale fronts can locally increase the mean time that photosynthetic organisms spend in the well-lit euphotic layer and promote primary production. Horizontal stirring can create intense patchiness in planktonic species. Submesoscale dynamics therefore can change not only primary and export production, but also the structure and the functioning of the planktonic ecosystem. Because of their short time and space scales, sampling of submesoscale features requires new technologies and approaches. This paper presents a critical overview of current knowledge to focus attention and hopefully interest on the pressing scientific questions concerning these dynamics.

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Published date: 2012
Organisations: Marine Biogeochemistry

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Local EPrints ID: 342631
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/342631
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: 3e98e94a-b166-444f-9cf9-77bcbbb5cdab

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Date deposited: 10 Sep 2012 15:39
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:53

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Contributors

Author: Marina Lévy
Author: Raffaele Ferrari
Author: Peter J.S. Franks
Author: Adrian P. Martin
Author: Pascal Rivière

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