On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea

Following meteorological practice the definition of available potential energy in the ocean is conventionally defined in terms of the properties of the global ocean. However there is also a requirement for a localised definition, for example the energy released when shelf water cascades down a conti...

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Main Authors: Levine, Richard C., Webb, David J.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/1/osd-4-897-2007.pdf
http://www.ocean-sci-discuss.net/4/897/2007/
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spelling ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:149737 2023-05-15T14:48:11+02:00 On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea Levine, Richard C. Webb, David J. 2007-11-27 application/pdf http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/1/osd-4-897-2007.pdf http://www.ocean-sci-discuss.net/4/897/2007/ en eng https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/1/osd-4-897-2007.pdf Levine, Richard C.; Webb, David J. orcid:0000-0001-7084-8566 . 2007 On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea. Ocean Science Discussions, 4 (6). 897-931. Publication - Article NonPeerReviewed 2007 ftnerc 2023-02-04T19:34:52Z Following meteorological practice the definition of available potential energy in the ocean is conventionally defined in terms of the properties of the global ocean. However there is also a requirement for a localised definition, for example the energy released when shelf water cascades down a continental shelf in the Arctic and enters a boundary current. In this note we start from first principals to obtain an exact expression for the available energy (AE) in such a situation. We show that the available energy depends on enstrophy and gravity. We also show that it is exactly equal to the work done by the pressure gradient and by buoyancy. The results are used to investigate the distribution of AE in the Barents Sea and surrounding regions relative to the interior of the Arctic Ocean. We find that water entering the Barents Sea from the Atlantic already has a high AE, that it is increased by cooling but that much of the increase is lost overcoming turbulence during the passage through the region to the Arctic Ocean. However on entering the Arctic enough available energy remains to drive a significant current around the margin of the ocean. The core of raised available energy also acts as a tracer which can be followed along the continental slope beyond the dateline. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Ocean Barents Sea Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Arctic Arctic Ocean Barents Sea
institution Open Polar
collection Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive
op_collection_id ftnerc
language English
description Following meteorological practice the definition of available potential energy in the ocean is conventionally defined in terms of the properties of the global ocean. However there is also a requirement for a localised definition, for example the energy released when shelf water cascades down a continental shelf in the Arctic and enters a boundary current. In this note we start from first principals to obtain an exact expression for the available energy (AE) in such a situation. We show that the available energy depends on enstrophy and gravity. We also show that it is exactly equal to the work done by the pressure gradient and by buoyancy. The results are used to investigate the distribution of AE in the Barents Sea and surrounding regions relative to the interior of the Arctic Ocean. We find that water entering the Barents Sea from the Atlantic already has a high AE, that it is increased by cooling but that much of the increase is lost overcoming turbulence during the passage through the region to the Arctic Ocean. However on entering the Arctic enough available energy remains to drive a significant current around the margin of the ocean. The core of raised available energy also acts as a tracer which can be followed along the continental slope beyond the dateline.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Levine, Richard C.
Webb, David J.
spellingShingle Levine, Richard C.
Webb, David J.
On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
author_facet Levine, Richard C.
Webb, David J.
author_sort Levine, Richard C.
title On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
title_short On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
title_full On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
title_fullStr On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
title_full_unstemmed On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea
title_sort on available energy in the ocean and its application to the barents sea
publishDate 2007
url http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/1/osd-4-897-2007.pdf
http://www.ocean-sci-discuss.net/4/897/2007/
geographic Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Barents Sea
geographic_facet Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Barents Sea
genre Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Barents Sea
genre_facet Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Barents Sea
op_relation https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/149737/1/osd-4-897-2007.pdf
Levine, Richard C.; Webb, David J. orcid:0000-0001-7084-8566 . 2007 On available energy in the ocean and its application to the Barents Sea. Ocean Science Discussions, 4 (6). 897-931.
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