Observations of the Deepening of the Wind-Mixed Layer in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Abstract Measurements of winds, currents and temperature are used to describe the response of the upper ocean in the northeast Pacific to the passage of an August 1971 synoptic-scale meteorological disturbance. The experiment was designed so that at the beginning of the 32-day study the uppermost two current meters were located in the upper isothermal layer, a third current meter was placed at the top of the seasonal thermocline, and the fourth current meter was located near the bottom of the seasonal thermocline. Thermistors attached to a multi-conductor cable were placed in the mixed layer and in the thermocline region. Before the onset of the storm the thickness of the mixed layer was about 15 m. The storm produced a more homogeneous temperature distribution above 20 m with a lower average temperature, higher temperature values below 20 m, and a thicker (25 m) mixed layer. The heat content of the upper layer changed little (<±5%) as the mixed layer deepened. The storm generated large currents and verti...