Gravity Wave–Fine Structure Interactions. Part II: Energy Dissipation Evolutions, Statistics, and Implications

Abstract

Abstract Part I of this paper employs four direct numerical simulations (DNSs) to examine the dynamics and energetics of idealized gravity wave–fine structure (GW–FS) interactions. That study and this companion paper were motivated by the ubiquity of multiscale GW–FS superpositions throughout the atmosphere. These DNSs exhibit combinations of wave–wave interactions and local instabilities that depart significantly from those accompanying idealized GWs or mean flows alone, surprising dependence of the flow evolution on the details of the FS, and an interesting additional pathway to instability and turbulence due to GW–FS superpositions. This paper examines the mechanical and thermal energy dissipation rates occurring in two of these DNSs. Findings include 1) dissipation that tends to be much more localized and variable than that due to GW instability in the absence of FS, 2) dissipation statistics indicative of multiple turbulence sources, 3) strong influences of FS shears on instability occurrence and turbulence intensities and statistics, and 4) significant differences between mechanical and thermal dissipation rate fields having potentially important implications for measurements of these flows.