Abstract
Abstract Quasi-continuous depth–time observations of shear (5.5-m, 6-min resolution) and strain, (∂η/∂z, (2-m, 2.1- min resolution) obtained from the R/P FLIP are applied to a study of Richardson number (Ri) statistics. Data were collected off the coast of central California in the 1990 Surface Waves Processes Experiment. Observations are presented in Eulerian and in isopycnal-following frames. In both frames, shear variance is found to scale as N2 in the thermocline, in agreement with previous findings of Gargett et al. The probability density function for squared shear magnitude is very nearly exponential. Strain variance is approximately uniform with depth. The magnitude of the fluctuations is sufficient to influence the Ri field significantly at finescale. To model the Richardson number, the detailed interrelationship between shear and strain must be specified. Two contrasting hypotheses are considered: One (H I) holds that fluctuations in the cross-isopycnal shear are independent of isopycnal separat...
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