An acoustic view of ocean mixing

• Main Authors: Fischer, Tim, Dengler, Marcus, Brandt, Peter, Banyte, Donata, Visbeck, Martin
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: North East Atlantic
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/9873/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/9873/1/Book_of_Abstracts.pdf

Knowledge of the parameter K (turbulent diffusivity/"mixing intensity") is a key to understand transport processes of matter and energy in the ocean. Especially the almost vertical component of K across the ocean stratification (diapycnal diffusivity) is vital for research on biogeochemical cycles or greenhouse gas budgets. Recent boost in precision of water velocity data that can be obtained from vessel-mounted acoustic instruments (vmADCP) allows identifying ocean regions of elevated diapycnal diffusivity during research cruises - in high horizontal resolution and without extra ship time needed. This contribution relates acoustic data from two cruises in the Tropical North East Atlantic Oxygen Minimum Zone to simultaneous field observations of diapycnal diffusivity: pointwise measurements by a microstructure profiler as well as one integrative value from a large scale Tracer Release Experiment.