scholarly journals Observing and quantifying ocean flow properties using drifters with drogues at different depths

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina I. Rypina ◽  
Timothy R. Getscher ◽  
Lawrence J. Pratt ◽  
Baptiste Mourre
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Finite Size ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Flow Properties ◽  
Eulerian Model ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Significant Term ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Vorticity Balance ◽  
Vorticity Analysis

AbstractThis paper presents analyses of drifters with drogues at different depths – 1, 10, 30, 50 m – that were deployed in the Mediterranean Sea to investigate frontal subduction and upwelling. Drifter trajectories were used to estimate divergence, vorticity, vertical velocity, and finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FTLEs), and to investigate the balance of terms in the vorticity equation. The divergence and vorticity are O(f) and change sign along trajectories. Vertical velocity is O(1 mm/s), increases with depth, indicates predominant upwelling with isolated downwelling events, and sometimes changes sign between 1 and 50 m. Vortex stretching is one of, but not the only, significant term in the vorticity balance. 2D FTLEs are 2 × 10−51/s after 1 day, twice larger than in a 400-m-resolution numerical model. 3D FTLEs are 50% larger than 2D FTLEs and are dominated by the vertical shear of horizontal velocity. Bootstrapping suggests uncertainty levels of ~10% of the time-mean absolute values for divergence and vorticity. Analysis of simulated drifters in a model suggests that drifter-based estimates of divergence and vorticity are close to the Eulerian model estimates, except when drifters get aligned into long filaments. Drifter-based vertical velocity is close to the Eulerian model estimates at 1 m but differs at deeper depths. The errors in the vertical velocity are largely due to the lateral separation between drifters at different depths, and partially due to only measuring at 4 depths. Overall, this paper demonstrates how drifters, heretofore restricted to 2D near-surface observations, can be used to learn about 3D flow properties throughout the upper layer of the water column.

scholarly journals Observing and quantifying ocean flow properties using drifters with drogues at different depths

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina I. Rypina ◽  
Timothy R. Getscher ◽  
Larry J. Pratt ◽  
Baptiste Mourre
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Finite Size ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Vertical Vorticity ◽  
Significant Term ◽  
True Model ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
True Values ◽  
Vorticity Balance

<p>We present analyses of drifters with drogues at 1, 10, 30 and 50 m, which were deployed in the Mediterranean Sea to investigate subduction and upwelling processes. Drifter trajectories were used to estimate divergence, vorticity, vertical velocity, and finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FTLEs), and to investigate the magnitudes of terms in the vertical vorticity equation. The divergence and vorticity are O(f) and change sign along trajectories. Vertical velocity is O(1 mm/s), is larger at depth, indicates predominant upwelling with isolated downwelling events, and sometimes changes sign between 1 and 50 m. Vortex stretching is one of, but not the only, significant term in the vertical vorticity balance. 2D FTLEs are 2x10^(-5) 1/s after 1 day, about twice larger than in a 400-m-resolution numerical model. 3D FTLEs are 50% larger than 2D FTLEs and are dominated by the vertical shear of horizontal velocity. Bootstrapping-based uncertainty for both divergence and vorticity is ~10% of the time-mean absolute values. Simulated drifters in a model suggest that drifter-based divergence and vorticity are close to true model values, except when drifters get aligned into long and narrow filaments. Drifter-based vertical velocity is close to true values in the model at 1 m but differs from the true model values at deeper depths. The errors in the vertical velocity are largely due to the lateral separation between drifters at different depths, and partially due to having drifters at only 4 depths. Overall, multi-level drifters provided useful information about the 3D flow structure.</p>

scholarly journals Joint Modeling of Severe Dust Storm Events in Arid and Hyper Arid Regions Based on Copula Theory: A Case Study in the Yazd Province, Iran

Climate ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tayyebeh Mesbahzadeh ◽  
Maryam Mirakbari ◽  
Mohsen Mohseni Saravi ◽  
Farshad Soleimani Sardoo ◽  
Nir Y. Krakauer
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Return Period ◽  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Geopotential Height ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Maximum Wind Speed ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Copula Theory ◽  
Maximum Wind

Natural disasters such as dust storms are random phenomena created by complicated mechanisms involving many parameters. In this study, we used copula theory for bivariate modeling of dust storms. Copula theory is a suitable method for multivariate modeling of natural disasters. We identified 40 severe dust storms, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization, during 1982–2017 in Yazd province, central Iran. We used parameters at two spatial vertical levels (near-surface and upper atmosphere) that included surface maximum wind speed, and geopotential height and vertical velocity at 500, 850, and 1000 hPa. We compared two bivariate models based on the pairs of maximum wind speed–geopotential height and maximum wind speed–vertical velocity. We determined the bivariate return period using Student t and Gaussian copulas, which were considered as the most suitable functions for these variables. The results obtained for maximum wind speed–geopotential height indicated that the maximum return period was consistent with the observed frequency of severe dust storms. The bivariate modeling of dust storms based on maximum wind speed and geopotential height better described the conditions of severe dust storms than modeling based on maximum wind speed and vertical velocity. The finding of this study can be useful to improve risk management and mitigate the impacts of severe dust storms.

scholarly journals High-Resolution, Rapid-Scan Dual-Doppler Retrievals of Vertical Velocity in a Simulated Supercell

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 1477-1500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan A. Dahl ◽  
Alan Shapiro ◽  
Corey K. Potvin ◽  
Adam Theisen ◽  
Joshua G. Gebauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Variational Method ◽  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Traditional Method ◽  
Mass Conservation ◽  
Conservation Equation ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Rapid Scan ◽  
Close Range ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObservation system simulation experiments are used to evaluate different dual-Doppler analysis (DDA) methods for retrieving vertical velocity w at grid spacings on the order of 100 m within a simulated tornadic supercell. Variational approaches with and without a vertical vorticity equation constraint are tested, along with a typical (traditional) method involving vertical integration of the mass conservation equation. The analyses employ emulated radar data from dual-Doppler placements 15, 30, and 45 km east of the mesocyclone, with volume scan intervals ranging from 10 to 150 s. The effect of near-surface data loss is examined by denying observations below 1 km in some of the analyses. At the longer radar ranges and when no data denial is imposed, the “traditional” method produces results similar to those of the variational method and is much less expensive to implement. However, at close range and/or with data denial, the variational method is much more accurate, confirming results from previous studies. The vorticity constraint shows the potential to improve the variational analysis substantially, reducing errors in the w retrieval by up to 30% for rapid-scan observations (≤30 s) at close range when the local vorticity tendency is estimated using spatially variable advection correction. However, the vorticity constraint also degrades the analysis for longer scan intervals, and the impact diminishes with increased range. Furthermore, analyses using 30-s data also frequently outperform analyses using 10-s data, suggesting a limit to the benefit of increasing the radar scan rate for variational DDA employing the vorticity constraint.

scholarly journals Granulometric investigations of snow avalanches

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (193) ◽  
pp. 829-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perry Bartelt ◽  
Brian W. McArdell
Keyword(s):  
Granule Size ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Size Segregation ◽  
Surface Shear ◽  
Natural Sediment ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Sediment Size ◽  
Log Normal

AbstractAvalanche deposits consist of rounded granules composed of aggregates of snow and ice particles. The size of the granules is related to vertical shear gradients within the flow; studying the granule-size distribution may be useful in understanding the flow and stopping of avalanches. We applied a sediment-size sampling method to measure snow granule-size distributions at different depositional environments on two dry and two wet avalanche deposits at three field sites. The granule-size distributions are approximately log-normal, similar to many natural sediment deposits. The median granule size in the wet and dry avalanches varies between 65 and 162 mm. Wet avalanches tend to produce more large granules than dry avalanches, indicating both smaller flow velocities and near-surface shear gradients. Granule size is similar in frontal lobes and levee deposits, suggesting that levee formation occurs independently of the size segregation at the avalanche front.

scholarly journals Pinch and swell structures: evidence for brittle-viscous behaviour in the middle crust

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1517-1554
Author(s):  
R. Gardner ◽  
S. Piazolo ◽  
N. Daczko
Keyword(s):  
Viscous Flow ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Brittle Failure ◽  
High Strain ◽  
Rheological Behaviour ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Flow Properties ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Heterogeneous Rocks ◽  
The Matrix

Abstract. The flow properties of middle to lower crustal rocks are commonly represented by viscous flow. However, examples of pinch and swell structures found in a mid-crustal high strain zone at St. Anne Point (Fiordland, New Zealand) suggest pinch and swell structures are initiated by brittle failure of the more competent layer in conjunction with material softening. On this basis we develop a flexible numerical model using brittle-viscous flow where Mohr–Coulomb failure is utilised to initiate pinch and swell structure development. Results show that pinch and swell structures develop in a competent layer in both Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow provided the competent layer has enough viscosity contrast and initially fails brittlely. The degree of material softening after initial failure is shown to impact pinch and swell characteristics with high rates of material softening causing the formation of thick necks between swells by limiting the successful localisation of strain. The flow regime and yielding characteristics of the matrix do not impact pinch and swell structure formation itself, so long as the matrix is less competent. To aid analysis of the structures and help derive the flow properties of rocks in the field, we define three stages of pinch and swell development and offer suggestions for measurements to be made in the field. Our study suggests that Mohr–Coulomb behaviour combined with viscous flow is an appropriate way to represent the heterogeneous rocks of the middle to lower crust. This type of mid-crustal rheological behaviour has significant influence on the localization of strain at all scales. For example, inclusion of Mohr–Coulomb brittle failure with viscous flow in just some mid-crustal layers within a crustal scale model will result in strain localisation throughout the whole crustal section allowing the development of through-going high strain structures from the upper crust into the middle and lower crust. This localization then has a significant effect on developing near-surface structures.

scholarly journals Observations of Near-Surface Mixing Behind a Headland

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Preston Spicer ◽  
Kimberly Huguenard
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler ◽  
Bottom Layer ◽  
Eddy Diffusivity ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Streamwise Vorticity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Surface Mixing ◽  
Complex Features

Field observations were collected near the mouth of the Bagaduce River, Maine, in order to understand how complex features affect the intratidal and lateral variability of turbulence and vertical mixing. The Bagaduce River is a low-inflow, macrotidal estuary that features tidal islands, tidal flats and sharp channel bends. Profiles of salinity, temperature, and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation (ε) were collected for a tidal cycle across the estuary with a microstructure profiler. Lateral distributions of current velocities were obtained with an acoustic doppler current profiler. Results showed intratidal asymmetries in bottom-generated vertical eddy diffusivity and viscosity, with larger values occurring on ebb (Kz: 10−2 m2; Az: 10−2 m2/s) compared to flood (Kz: 10−5 m2/s; Az: 10−4 m2/s). Bottom-generated mixing was moderated by the intrusion of stratified water on flood, which suppressed mixing. Elevated mixing (Kz: 10−3 m2; Az: 10−2.5 m2/s) occurred in the upper water column in the lee of a small island and was decoupled from the bottom layer. The near-surface mixing was a product of an eddy formed downstream of a headland, which tended to reinforce vertical shear by laterally straining streamwise velocities. These results are the first to show near-surface mixing caused by vertical vorticity induced by an eddy, rather than previously reported streamwise vorticity associated with lateral circulation.

On Measuring the Terms of the Turbulent Kinetic Energy Budget from an AUV

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 977-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Goodman ◽  
Edward R. Levine ◽  
Rolf G. Lueck
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Turbulent Kinetic Energy ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Transverse Component ◽  
Vertical Flux ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Statistical Uncertainty

Abstract The terms of the steady-state, homogeneous turbulent kinetic energy budgets are obtained from measurements of turbulence and fine structure from the small autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Remote Environmental Measuring Units (REMUS). The transverse component of Reynolds stress and the vertical flux of heat are obtained from the correlation of vertical and transverse horizontal velocity, and the correlation of vertical velocity and temperature fluctuations, respectively. The data were obtained using a turbulence package, with two shear probes, a fast-response thermistor, and three accelerometers. To obtain the vector horizontal Reynolds stress, a generalized eddy viscosity formulation is invoked. This allows the downstream component of the Reynolds stress to be related to the transverse component by the direction of the finescale vector vertical shear. The Reynolds stress and the vector vertical shear then allow an estimate of the rate of production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Heat flux is obtained by correlating the vertical velocity with temperature fluctuations obtained from the FP-07 thermistor. The buoyancy flux term is estimated from the vertical flux of heat with the assumption of a constant temperature–salinity (T–S) relationship. Turbulent dissipation is obtained directly from the usage of shear probes. A multivariate correction procedure is developed to remove vehicle motion and vibration contamination from the estimates of the TKE terms. A technique is also developed to estimate the statistical uncertainty of using this estimation technique for the TKE budget terms. Within the statistical uncertainty of the estimates herein, the TKE budget on average closes for measurements taken in the weakly stratified waters at the entrance to Long Island Sound. In the strongly stratified waters of Narragansett Bay, the TKE budget closes when the buoyancy Reynolds number exceeds 20, an indicator and threshold for the initiation of turbulence in stratified conditions. A discussion is made regarding the role of the turbulent kinetic energy length scale relative to the length of the AUV in obtaining these estimates, and in the TKE budget closure.

scholarly journals Diversity, Dynamics, and Distribution ofBdellovibrioand Like Organisms in Perialpine Lakes

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Paix ◽  
Jade A. Ezzedine ◽  
Stéphan Jacquet
Keyword(s):  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Abundance Distribution ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perialpine Lakes ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Diversity Dynamics ◽  
Quantitative Importance

ABSTRACTMicrobes drive a variety of ecosystem processes and services, but many of them remain largely unexplored because of a lack of knowledge on both the diversity and functionality of some potentially crucial microbiological compartments. This is the case with and within the group of bacterial predators collectively known asBdellovibrioand like organisms (BALOs). Here, we report the abundance, distribution, and diversity of three families of these obligate predatory Gram-negative bacteria in three perialpine lakes (Lakes Annecy, Bourget, and Geneva). The study was conducted at different depths (near-surface versus 45 or 50 m) from August 2015 to January 2016. Using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and cloning-sequencing approaches, we show that the diversity of BALOs is relatively low and very specific to freshwaters or even the lakes themselves. While thePeredibacteraceaefamily was represented mainly by a single species (Peredibacter starrii), it could represent up to 7% of the total bacterial cell abundances. Comparatively, the abundances of the two other families (BdellovibrionaceaeandBacteriovoracaceae) were significantly lower. In addition, the distributions in the water column were very different between the three groups, suggesting various life strategies/niches, as follows:Peredibacteraceaedominated near the surface, whileBdellovibrionaceaeandBacteriovoracaceaewere more abundant at greater depths. Statistical analyses revealed that BALOs seem mainly to be driven by depth and temperature. Finally, this original study was also the opportunity to design new quantitative PCR (qPCR) primers forPeredibacteraceaequantification.IMPORTANCEThis study highlights the abundance, distribution, and diversity of a poorly known microbial compartment in natural aquatic ecosystems, theBdellovibrioand like organisms (BALOs). These obligate bacterial predators of other bacteria may have an important functional role. This study shows the relative quantitative importance of the three main families of this group, with the design of a new primer pair, and their diversity. While both the diversity and the abundances of these BALOs were globally low, it is noteworthy that the abundance of thePeredibacteraceaecould reach important values.

Mechanisms behind the precipitation increase in Norway

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjersti Konstali ◽  
Asgeir Sorteberg
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Vertical Velocity ◽  
Absolute Magnitude ◽  
Diagnostic Model ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Water Vapour Content ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Precipitation Increase

<p>We use a dataset with observations of daily precipitation from 55 homogeneity tested stations in Norway over the period 1900-2019 available from MET-Norway. These observations show that precipitation in Norway has increased monotonically by 19% since 1900. Notably, over half of the overall increase was recorded within the decade of 1980-1990. To examine possible mechanisms behind the precipitation increase, we use a diagnostic model to separate the effects of changes in vertical velocity, temperature and relative humidity. We use vertical velocity, near-surface temperature and relative humidity from two reanalysis products, ECMWF’s ERA-20C and NOAA’s 20th Century Reanalysis. The model-based precipitation estimates capture the interannual variability as well as the long-term trend, but the absolute magnitude of precipitation is underestimated. Within our model, we find that the variability in vertical velocity chiefly determines the interannual variability and long-term trends. In fact, the trend in vertical velocities contributes with more than 75% of the total modelled trend in precipitation between 1900-2019, and more than 60% of the anomalies between 1980-1990. However, over the last decades (1979 to 2019), changes in temperature and relative humidity are the main contributors to the trend. Thus, different physical processes shape the trend at different times. We hypothesize that the strong precipitation increase in the 1980’s is linked to an unusual high number of low pressure systems reaching Norway from the North-Atlantic. In recent decades, direct effects of global warming (rising temperatures and hence increased water vapour content) are thought to be the main cause of the positive trend in precipitation over Norway. </p>

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