Abstract
Abstract : Winds blowing along ocean fronts are highly effective at energizing flows on the submesoscale. The process involves three stages: a frontal mixing stage where small scale gravitational and symmetric instabilities homogenize properties in the mixed layer, a subduction phase where three-dimensional baroclinic mixed layer instabilities exchange fluid along isopycnal between the mixed layer and pycnocline, and a phase in which the mixed layer instabilities evolve into coherent vortices that drive lateral stirring along surfaces of constant density. Near-inertial waves (NIWs) can be generated as well that are strongly modified by fronts. The objective of this research is to characterize and parameterize the submesoscale physics involved in each of these steps and in the generation, propagation, and dissipation of NIWs, and evaluate the lateral mixing characteristic of the flows. Dynamical insights gained from the research have been used for planning, interpreting, and analyzing observations collected during the two field programs that were conducted as part of the DRI.
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