Numerical Simulations of Internal Solitary Wave Evolution Beneath an Ice Keel

The deformation and evolution of internal solitary waves (ISWs) beneath an ice keel can enable potential diapycnal mixing and facilitate upper ocean heat transport, despite a poor understanding of the underlying physics and energetics of ISWs in Polar environments. This study aims to understand the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Main Authors: Zhang, Peiwen, Xu, Zhenhua, Li, Qun, You, Jia, Yin, Baoshu, Robertson, Robin, Zheng, Quanan
Format: Report
Language:English
Published: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION 2022
Subjects:
Arctic ocean
Sea ice
Warming climate
Internal wave
Mixing
Heat transfer
Oceanography
LONG-RANGE PROPAGATION
SEA-ICE
VERTICAL DIFFUSION
HEAT FLUXES
TIDES
BREAKING
INSTABILITIES
VARIABILITY
GENERATION
WATER
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Online Access:http://ir.qdio.ac.cn/handle/337002/178157
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC017068
Description
Summary:The deformation and evolution of internal solitary waves (ISWs) beneath an ice keel can enable potential diapycnal mixing and facilitate upper ocean heat transport, despite a poor understanding of the underlying physics and energetics of ISWs in Polar environments. This study aims to understand the dynamic processes and mixing properties during the evolution of ISWs beneath ice keels in the Arctic Ocean using high-resolution, non-hydrostatic simulations. Ice keels can destabilize ISWs through overturning events. Consequently, the initial ISW disintegrates and transfers its energy into secondary smaller-scale waves. During the ISW-ice interaction, ISW-induced turbulent mixing can reach O(10(-3)) W/kg with a magnitude of resultant heat flux of O(10)W/m. Sensitivity experiments demonstrated that the ISW-ice interaction weakened as the ice keel depth decreased, and consequently, the resultant turbulent mixing and upward heat transfer also decreased. The ice keel depth was critical to the evolution and disintegration of an ISW beneath the ice keel, while the approximate ice keel shape had little effect. Our results provide an important but previously overlooked energy source for upper ocean heat transport in the Arctic Ocean.

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