Abstract
The Philippine Sea is a dynamic ocean basin with complex multi‐scale sound speed structure. Therefore the PhilSea09 and PhilSea10 experiments have put significant resources toward quantifying the space‐time scales of this sound speed variability, so that the acoustic transmission data can be properly interpreted. In the PhilSea09 pilot study, two moorings equipped with temperature (T), conductivity (C), and pressure sensors, along with upper ocean ADCP, monitored ocean variability for a month in the Spring. The measurements reveal an energetic and nonlinear mixed diurnal‐semidiurnal internal tide, a diffuse Garrett–Munk (GM) type internal wave field at or above the reference GM energy level, and a strong eddy field. One mooring which was equipped with pumped sensors for enhanced salinity (S) resolution was able to accurately quantify T and S variability along isopycnals (spice). The spice contribution to sound speed fluctuation is strong near the mixed layer but is significantly weaker than the other contributions in the main thermocline. Frequency spectra as well as vertical covariance functions will be presented to quantify the temporal and vertical spatial scales of the observed fluctuations.
Published Version
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