scholarly journals Empirical evidence of a fluctuation theorem for the wind mechanical power input into the ocean

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-378
Author(s):  
Achim Wirth ◽  
Bertrand Chapron

Abstract. Ocean dynamics is predominantly driven by the shear stress between the atmospheric winds and ocean currents. The mechanical power input to the ocean is fluctuating in space and time and the atmospheric wind sometimes decelerates the ocean currents. Building on 24 years of global satellite observations, the input of mechanical power to the ocean is analysed. A fluctuation theorem (FT) holds when the logarithm of the ratio between the occurrence of positive and negative events, of a certain magnitude of the power input, is a linear function of this magnitude and the averaging period. The flux of mechanical power to the ocean shows evidence of a FT for regions within the recirculation area of the subtropical gyre but not over extensions of western boundary currents. A FT puts a strong constraint on the temporal distribution of fluctuations of power input, connects variables obtained with different lengths of temporal averaging, guides the temporal down- and up-scaling and constrains the episodes of improbable events.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achim Wirth ◽  
Bertrand Chapron

Abstract. The ocean dynamics is predominantly driven by the shear between the atmospheric winds and ocean currents. The ocean mostly receives energy, but it can also lose energy. Building on 24-years of global satellite observations, the input of mechanical power to the ocean is analysed. A Fluctuation Theorem (FT) holds when the logarithm of the ratio between the occurrence of positive and negative events, of a certain magnitude of the power input, is a linear function of this magnitude and the averaging period. The input of mechanical power into the ocean shows evidence of a FT, for regions within the recirculation area of the subtropical gyre, but not over extensions of Western Boundary Currents. A FT puts a strong constraint on the temporal distribution of fluctuations of power input, connects variables obtained with different length of temporal averaging and guides the temporal down- and up-scaling and constrains the occurrence of extreme events.


2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 974-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Hughes ◽  
Mark A. Bourassa ◽  
Jeremy J. Rolph ◽  
Shawn R. Smith

Abstract Seasonal-to-multidecadal applications that require ocean surface energy fluxes often require accuracies of surface turbulent fluxes to be 5 W m−2 or better. While there is little doubt that uncertainties in the flux algorithms and input data can cause considerable errors, the impact of temporal averaging has been more controversial. The biases resulting from using monthly averaged winds, temperatures, and humidities in the bulk aerodynamic formula (i.e., the so-called classical method) to estimate the monthly mean latent heat fluxes are shown to be substantial and spatially varying in a manner that is consistent with most prior work. These averaging-related biases are linked to nonnegligible submonthly covariances between the wind, temperature, and humidity. To provide additional insight into the averaging-related bias, the methodology behind the third-generation Florida State University monthly mean surface flux product (FSU3) is detailed to highlight additional sources of errors in gridded datasets. The FSU3 latent heat fluxes suffer from this averaging-related bias, which can be as large as 90 W m−2 in western boundary current regions during winter and can exceed 40 W m−2 in synoptically active portions of the tropics. The regional impacts of these biases on the mixed layer temperature tendency are shown to demonstrate that the error resulting from applying the classical method is physically substantial.


Author(s):  
Tianyu Wang ◽  
Yan Du ◽  
Minyang Wang

AbstractAn Argo simulation system is used to provide synthetic Lagrangian trajectories based on the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean model, Phase II (ECCO2). In combination with ambient Eulerian velocity at the reference layer (1000 m) from the model, quantitative metrics of the Lagrangian trajectory-derived velocities are computed. The result indicates that the biases induced by the derivation algorithm are strongly linked with ocean dynamics. In low latitudes, Ekman currents and vertically sheared geostrophic currents influence both the magnitude and the direction of the derivation velocity vectors. The maximal shear-induced biases exist near the equator with the amplitudes reaching up to about 1.2 cm s-1. The angles of the shear biases are pronounced in the low latitude oceans, ranging from -8° to 8°. Specifically, the study shows an overlooked bias from the float drifting motions that mainly occurs in the western boundary current and Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC) regions. In these regions, a recently reported horizontal acceleration measured via Lagrangian floats is significantly associated with the strong eddy-jet interactions. The acceleration could induce an overestimation of Eulerian current velocity magnitudes. For the common Argo floats with a 9-day float parking period, the derivation speed biases induced by velocity acceleration would be as large as 3 cm s-1, approximately 12% of the ambient velocity. It might have implications to map the mean mid-depth ocean currents from Argo trajectories, as well as understand the dynamics of eddy-jet interactions in the ocean.


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwin Nandagiri ◽  
Avinash Satish Gaikwad ◽  
David L Potter ◽  
Reza Nosrati ◽  
Julio Soria ◽  
...  

We demonstrate a technique for investigating the energetics of flagella or cilia. We record the planar beating of tethered mouse sperm at high-resolution. Beating waveforms are reconstructed using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition of the centerline tangent-angle profiles. Energy conservation is employed to obtain the mechanical power exerted by the dynein motors from the observed kinematics. A large proportion of the mechanical power exerted by the dynein motors is dissipated internally by the motors themselves. There could also be significant dissipation within the passive structures of the flagellum. The total internal dissipation is considerably greater than the hydrodynamic dissipation in the aqueous medium outside. The net power input from the dynein motors in sperm from Crisp2-knockout mice is significantly smaller than in wildtype samples, indicating that ion-channel regulation by cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) controls energy flows powering the axoneme.


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. R249-R256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Nudds ◽  
David M. Bryant

The doubly-labeled water technique and video were used to measure the effect of mass loading on energy expenditure and takeoff performance in zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, that were making routine (nonalarm) short flights. Finches that carried 27% additional mass did not expend more energy during flight than unloaded controls. Carrying additional mass, however, led to a reduced body mass and a decreased velocity during takeoffs (by 12%). Calculations of instantaneous mechanical power indicated that energy expended by unloaded and loaded finches at takeoff was similar, due to the observed decrease in velocity by mass-loaded finches and a lowering of their body mass. During routine short flights, zebra finches appear to maintain their metabolic power input and mechanical power output regardless of mass loading. Here, the costs of carrying additional mass during routine short flights were revealed to be behavioral and not energetic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reindert J. Haarsma ◽  
Javier García-Serrano ◽  
Chloé Prodhomme ◽  
Omar Bellprat ◽  
Paolo Davini ◽  
...  

Abstract Northern Hemisphere western boundary currents, like the Gulf Stream, are key regions for cyclogenesis affecting large-scale atmospheric circulation. Recent observations and model simulations with high-temporal and -spatial resolution have provided evidence that the associated ocean fronts locally affect troposphere dynamics. A coherent view of how this affects the mean climate and its variability is, however, lacking. In particular the separate role of resolved ocean and atmosphere dynamics in shaping the atmospheric circulation is still largely unknown. Here we demonstrate for the first time, by using coupled seasonal forecast experiments at different resolutions, that resolving meso-scale oceanic variability in the Gulf Stream region strongly affects mid-latitude interannual atmospheric variability, including the North Atlantic Oscillation. Its impact on climatology, however, is minor. Increasing atmosphere resolution to meso-scale, on the other hand, strongly affects mean climate but moderately its variability. We also find that regional predictability relies on adequately resolving small-scale atmospheric processes, while resolving small-scale oceanic processes acts as an unpredictable source of noise, except for the North Atlantic storm-track where the forcing of the atmosphere translates into skillful predictions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 584-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Zamparo ◽  
Ian L. Swaine

Determining the efficiency of a swimming stroke is difficult because different “efficiencies” can be computed based on the partitioning of mechanical power output (Ẇ) into its useful and nonuseful components, as well as because of the difficulties in measuring the forces that a swimmer can exert in water. In this paper, overall efficiency (ηO = ẆTOT/Ė, where ẆTOT is total mechanical power output, and Ė is overall metabolic power input) was calculated in 10 swimmers by means of a laboratory-based whole-body swimming ergometer, whereas propelling efficiency (ηP = ẆD/ẆTOT, where ẆD is the power to overcome drag) was estimated based on these values and on values of drag efficiency (ηD = ẆD/Ė): ηP = ηD/ηO. The values of ηD reported in the literature range from 0.03 to 0.09 (based on data for passive and active drag, respectively). ηO was 0.28 ± 0.01, and ηP was estimated to range from ∼0.10 (ηD = 0.03) to 0.35 (ηD = 0.09). Even if there are obvious limitations to exact simulation of the whole swimming stroke within the laboratory, these calculations suggest that the data reported in the literature for ηO are probably underestimated, because not all components of ẆTOT can be measured accurately in this environment. Similarly, our estimations of ηP suggest that the data reported in the literature are probably overestimated.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Buongiorno Nardelli

Abstract. Estimates of 3D ocean circulation are needed to improve our understanding of ocean dynamics and to assess its impact on marine ecosystems and Earth climate. Here we present the OMEGA3D product, an observation-based timeseries of (quasi) global 3D ocean currents covering the 1993–2018 period, developed by the Italian Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche within the European Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). This dataset was obtained by applying a diabatic quasi-geostrophic (QG) diagnostic model to CMEMS data-driven ARMOR3D weekly reconstruction of temperature and salinity and ERA-Interim fluxes. Outside the equatorial band, vertical velocities were retrieved in the upper 1500 m, at nominal ¼° resolution, and successively used to compute the horizontal ageostrophic components. Root mean square differences between OMEGA3D total horizontal velocities and totally independent drifter observations at two different depths (15 m and 1000 m) decrease with respect to corresponding estimates obtained from zero-order geostrophic balance, meaning that estimated vertical velocities can also be deemed reliable. OMEGA3D horizontal velocities are also closer to drifter observations than velocities provided by a set of re-analyses spanning a comparable time period, but based on data assimilation in ocean general circulation numerical models. The full OMEGA3D product (released on 31st of March 2020) is available upon free registration at https://doi.org/10.25423/cmcc/multiobs_glo_phy_w_rep_015_007. The reduced subset used here for validation and review purposes is openly available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3696885 (Buongiorno Nardelli, 2020).


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 6455-6477
Author(s):  
Roxane Tzortzis ◽  
Andrea M. Doglioli ◽  
Stéphanie Barrillon ◽  
Anne A. Petrenko ◽  
Francesco d'Ovidio ◽  
...  

Abstract. Model simulations and remote sensing observations show that ocean dynamics at fine scales (1–100 km in space, day–weeks in time) strongly influence the distribution of phytoplankton. However, only a few in situ-based studies at fine scales have been performed, and most of them concern western boundary currents which may not be representative of less energetic regions. The PROTEVSMED-SWOT cruise took place in the moderately energetic waters of the western Mediterranean Sea (WMS), in the region south of the Balearic Islands. Taking advantage of near-real-time satellite information, we defined a sampling strategy in order to cross a frontal zone separating different water masses. Multi-parametric in situ sensors mounted on the research vessel, on a towed vehicle and on an ocean glider were used to sample physical and biogeochemical variables at a high spatial resolution. Particular attention was given to adapting the sampling route in order to estimate the vertical velocities in the frontal area also. This strategy was successful in sampling quasi-synoptically an oceanic area characterized by the presence of a narrow front with an associated vertical circulation. A multiparametric statistical analysis of the collected data identifies two water masses characterized by different abundances of several phytoplankton cytometric functional groups, as well as different concentrations of chlorophyll a and O2. Here, we focus on moderately energetic fronts induced by fine-scale circulation. Moreover, we explore physical–biological coupling in an oligotrophic region. Our results show that the fronts induced by the fine-scale circulation, even if weaker than the fronts occurring in energetic and nutrient-rich boundary current systems, maintain nevertheless a strong structuring effect on the phytoplankton community by segregating different groups at the surface. Since oligotrophic and moderately energetic regions are representative of a very large part of the world ocean, our results may have global significance when extrapolated.


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