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Turbulence and scaling processes in the ocean
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The Turbulent Vertical Kinetic Energy under Tropical Cyclone
P-P3-08-S
Zhihua Zheng* , School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Ramsey Harcourt, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Eric DĄŻAsaro, School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington,USA
Presenter Email: zhihua@uw.edu |
| The turbulent vertical kinetic energy in the Ocean Surface Boundary Layer (OSBL) is an important property of the turbulence, indicating the vertical mixing strength in the upper ocean. With the growing effort in field observation using Lagrangian float, we have made some progress in understanding its strength and dynamical evolution, while the prediction of it in boundary layer models is still not quite satisfactory. One significant issue in these models is the ability to accurately represent the surface wave effect, which includes both surface wave breaking and Craik-Leibovich interaction. Here we examine the behavior of turbulent vertical kinetic energy in an improved Second-Moment Closure (SMC) model, against observational data collected during Hurricane Frances (2004). This model has explicitly included surface wave effect and is forced by NOAA hindcast wind data, incorporating recent progress in refining drag coefficient parameterization. The wave field for this simulation is derived from WaveWatch III output, forced by the same surface forcing. The comparison of turbulent vertical kinetic energy between model prediction and observation shows the improved SMC model is good at capturing the overall enhanced turbulent kinetic energy induced by Craik-Leibovich interaction, but apparent discrepancy still occurs around the surface and the base of the mixed layer, implying lack of consideration for surface wave breaking and misrepresentation of dynamics in entrainment. As informed by this result, we will further explore the path to modify the model through more comparisons with Large Eddy Simulation (LES) solutions. |
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