scholarly journals Background stratification impacts on internal tide generation and abyssal propagation in the western equatorial Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay

Ocean Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1563-1583
Author(s):  
Simon Barbot ◽  
Florent Lyard ◽  
Michel Tchilibou ◽  
Loren Carrere
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Bay Of Biscay ◽  
Equatorial Atlantic ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Idealized Modeling

Abstract. The forthcoming SWOT altimetric missions aim to resolve the mesoscale with an unprecedented spatial resolution and swath. However, high-frequency processes, such as tides, are undersampled in time and aliased onto lower frequencies, so they need to be corrected properly. Unlike barotropic tides, internal tides (ITs) are not completely stationary and have significant temporal variability due to their interactions with the ocean circulation and the stratification variability. Stratification changes impact both the generation and the propagation of ITs. The present study proposes a methodology to quantify the impacts of background stratification using a clustering method for the classification of a broad range of stratification and idealized modeling of ITs in the frequency domain. The methodology is successfully tested in the western equatorial Atlantic and in the Bay of Biscay. For the western equatorial Atlantic, a single pycnocline is observed and only the two first vertical modes of ITs have significant amplitudes. With no variation in the stratification intensity, the variation in the depth of this single pycnocline linearly impacts the elevation amplitude, energy fluxes and surface wavelength of the two modes. In the Bay of Biscay, there is a permanent deep pycnocline and secondary seasonal pycnoclines near the surface. No proxy have been found to describe the changes in ITs, so a seasonal climatology is explored. The seasonality of the stratification strongly affects the elevation amplitudes as well as the energy fluxes of modes 1, 2 and 3. The distribution of the modes vary with the background stratification, changing the horizontal scales of the ITs.

The temporal variability of near-inertial internal waves in an internal tide beam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Löb ◽  
Monika Rhein
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Inertial Waves ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Wind Event ◽  
Mode 2 ◽  
Inertial Energy

<p>Low mode internal waves in the stratified ocean are generated by the interaction between barotropic tides and seafloor topography and by the wind field in the near-inertial range. They are crucial for interior mixing and for the oceanic energy pathways, since they carry a large portion of the energy of the entire internal wave field. Long-term observations of energy fluxes of internal waves are sparse. The aim of this work is to study the temporal variability of wind generated low mode near-inertial internal waves inside an internal tide beam emanating from seamounts south of the Azores. For this, 20 months of consecutive mooring observations are used to calculate the mode 1 and mode 2 near-inertial energy fluxes as well as kinetic and potential energies. The gathered time series of near-inertial internal wave energy flux is not steady due to its intermittent forcing and is neither dominated by either mode 1 or mode 2. It shows a peak induced by a distinct strong wind event which is directly linked to wind-power input into the mixed layer north-east of the mooring location, and allows a comparison between the wind event and a background state. Furthermore, indications of non-linear interactions of the near-inertial waves with the internal tides in the form of resonant triad interaction and non-linear self-interaction have been found. This study provides new insights on the relative importance of single wind events and reinforces the assumption of a global non-uniform distribution of near-inertial energy with emphasis in regions where these events occur often and regularly. It furthermore displays its importance to be adequately incorporated into ocean general circulation models and in generating ocean mixing estimates by near-inertial waves as a similarly important component next to the internal tides.</p>

scholarly journals The dependency of internal tides on background stratification variability: a case study on the Amazon shelf and the Bay of Biscay

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Barbot ◽  
Florent Lyard ◽  
Michel Tchilibou ◽  
Loren Carrere
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Domain Model ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Bay Of Biscay ◽  
Oceanic Circulation ◽  
Clustering Methods ◽  
Elevation Correction ◽  
Amazon Shelf

Abstract. The forthcoming SWOT altimetric mission aims to access the smaller mesoscale oceanic circulation with an unprecedented spatial resolution and swath. The repetitivity of the mission orbit implies that high frequency processes, such as the internal tides (ITs), are under-sampled in time and their full temporal evolution is not observed. They are therefore aliased onto lower frequencies and possibly mixed into the mesoscale signals. As with the barotropic tides, the ITs must be corrected from the altimetric observations in order to access to the smaller mesoscales. But unlike barotropic tides, ITs are not completely stationary and have significant temporal variability due to their interactions with the ocean circulation and the stratification variability. ITs prediction, correction and error calculation requires a precise understanding of the ITs' surface elevation signature and its temporal variability. Stratification changes impact both on the generation and the propagation of ITs. This present study proposes to quantify the impacts of the background stratification variations alone with a classification of the observed stratification and an idealized modelling of the ITs. A single methodology is developed to handle a very broad range of stratification variability. The classification is made using clustering methods and the modelling uses the frequency domain model T-UGO. The methodology is successfully tested on the Amazon shelf and in the Bay of Biscay. For the Amazon shelf, the pycnocline depth linearly impacts on the amplitudes and wavelengths of the ITs first two modes. An increase of the pycnocline depth increases the total ITs' amplitude but also transfers the energy from the mode 2 to the mode 1. An increase of the pycnocline depth also increases the wavelengths of both modes 1 and 2. In the Bay of Biscay we found no such proxy to describe the changes in ITs' characteristics so a seasonal climatology is explored. The seasonality of the stratification strongly affects the amplitudes of modes 2 and 3 and significantly impacts on the surface elevation of ITs. Whereas the wavelengths of all modes and the amplitude of mode 1 are only weakly affected by the stratification seasonality. The amplitude variability of modes 2 and 3 also modifies the ratio between the modes in presence and makes the horizontal scales of ITs variable. The significance of the ITs wavelength modifications with stratification changes suggests that a more accurate ITs' surface elevation correction for SWOT measurements should take into account this stratification variability.

scholarly journals Investigation of the Internal Tides in the Northwest Pacific Ocean Considering the Background Circulation and Stratification

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 3165-3188
Author(s):  
Pengyang Song ◽  
Xueen Chen
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Conversion Rate ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
Northwest Pacific Ocean ◽  
Baroclinic Tide ◽  
The Northwest Pacific Ocean

AbstractA global ocean circulation and tide model with nonuniform resolution is used in this work to resolve the ocean circulation globally as well as mesoscale eddies and internal tides regionally. Focusing on the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWP, 0°–35°N, 105°–150°E), a realistic experiment is conducted to simulate internal tides considering the background circulation and stratification. To investigate the influence of a background field on the generation and propagation of internal tides, idealized cases with horizontally homogeneous stratification and zero surface fluxes are also implemented for comparison. By comparing the realistic cases with idealized ones, the astronomical tidal forcing is found to be the dominant factor influencing the internal tide conversion rate magnitude, whereas the stratification acts as a secondary factor. However, stratification deviations in different areas can lead to an error exceeding 30% in the local internal tide energy conversion rate, indicating the necessity of a realistic stratification setting for simulating the entire NWP. The background shear is found to refract propagating diurnal internal tides by changing the effective Coriolis frequencies and phase speeds, while the Doppler-shifting effect is remarkable for introducing biases to semidiurnal results. In addition, nonlinear baroclinic tide energy equations considering the background circulation and stratification are derived and diagnosed in this work. The mean flow–baroclinic tide interaction and nonlinear energy flux are the most significant nonlinear terms in the derived equations, and nonlinearity is estimated to contribute approximately 5% of the total internal tide energy in the greater Luzon Strait area.

Internal Tides and Turbulence along the 3000-m Isobath of the Hawaiian Ridge

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig M. Lee ◽  
Thomas B. Sanford ◽  
Eric Kunze ◽  
Jonathan D. Nash ◽  
Mark A. Merrifield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Dissipation Rate ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
Model Average ◽  
Diapycnal Diffusivity ◽  
Hawaiian Ridge

Abstract Full-depth velocity and density profiles taken along the 3000-m isobath characterize the semidiurnal internal tide and bottom-intensified turbulence along the Hawaiian Ridge. Observations reveal baroclinic energy fluxes of 21 ± 5 kW m−1 radiating from French Frigate Shoals, 17 ± 2.5 kW m−1 from Kauai Channel west of Oahu, and 13 ± 3.5 kW m−1 from west of Nihoa Island. Weaker fluxes of 1–4 ± 2 kW m−1 radiate from the region near Necker Island and east of Nihoa Island. Observed off-ridge energy fluxes generally agree to within a factor of 2 with those produced by a tidally forced numerical model. Average turbulent diapycnal diffusivity K is (0.5–1) × 10−4 m2 s–1 above 2000 m, increasing exponentially to 20 × 10−4 m2 s–1 near the bottom. Microstructure values agree well with those inferred from a finescale internal wave-based parameterization. A linear relationship between the vertically integrated energy flux and vertically integrated turbulent dissipation rate implies that dissipative length scales for the radiating internal tide exceed 1000 km.

scholarly journals Energy Fluxes due to the Surface and Internal Tides in Knight Inlet, British Columbia

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 2219-2227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Stacey ◽  
S. Pond
Keyword(s):  
Energy Flux ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler ◽  
Tidal Energy ◽  
Tidal Height ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Net Flux ◽  
Adcp Observations

Abstract A laterally integrated (two dimensional) nonlinear numerical model is used to examine the flux of M2 tidal energy in Knight Inlet. The simulated flux of tidal energy into the inlet is somewhat smaller than that estimated using the change in phase of the M2 tidal height along the inlet, a method that does not account for the effect of the internal tide on the surface elevation. The simulated energy flux into the inlet is close to the energy flux of the internal tide away from the sill determined from observations using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The net flux due to the internal tide is significantly less than (<1/2 of) the rate at which energy is removed from the surface tide. Earlier linear models of the internal tide produced energy fluxes that agreed with those estimated from the phase change of the tidal height but were larger than the fluxes that could be found in the observations. The reason for this discrepancy is not that these simple models neglected nonlinear effects, but rather that they did not take reflections of the internal tide into account. Also, the simulated flux of energy into the inlet less the net flux of internal tidal energy away from the sill is about equal to the simulated dissipation within 2 km on either side of the sill. The simulated net flux of internal tidal energy away from the sill is in agreement with the flux determined from the ADCP observations on the downinlet side of the sill, but not on the upinlet side of the sill. A possible explanation is that only the first internal mode (which is surface intensified) was important on the downinlet side but the first three internal modes were important on the upinlet side. The flux calculation using the ADCP observations took variations in the inlet width into account but did not take depth variations into account; thus, the reflection coefficients of the second and third modes may have been underestimated.

scholarly journals Internal tides and energy fluxes over Great Meteor Seamount

Ocean Science ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Gerkema ◽  
H. van Haren
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Generation Model ◽  
Southern Slope ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Great Meteor Seamount ◽  
Whole Water

Abstract. Internal-tide energy fluxes are determined halfway over the southern slope of Great Meteor Seamount (Canary Basin), using data from combined CTD/LADCP yoyoing, covering the whole water column. The strongest signal is semi-diurnal and is concentrated in the upper few hundred meters of the water column. An indeterminacy in energy flux profiles is discussed; it is argued that a commonly applied condition used to determine these profiles is in fact invalid over sloping bottoms. However, the vertically integrated flux can be established unambiguously; the observed results are compared with the outcome of a numerical internal-tide generation model. For the semi-diurnal internal tide, the vertically integrated flux found in the model corresponds well to the observed one. The observed diurnal signal appears to be largely of non-tidal origin.

scholarly journals A Coupled-Mode Shallow-Water Model for Tidal Analysis: Internal Tide Reflection and Refraction by the Gulf Stream

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 3661-3679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel M. Kelly ◽  
Pierre F. J. Lermusiaux ◽  
Timothy F. Duda ◽  
Patrick J. Haley
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Gulf Stream ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Water Model ◽  
Shallow Water Model ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Coupled Mode

AbstractA hydrostatic, coupled-mode, shallow-water model (CSW) is described and used to diagnose and simulate tidal dynamics in the greater Mid-Atlantic Bight region. The reduced-physics model incorporates realistic stratification and topography, internal tide forcing from a priori estimates of the surface tide, and advection terms that describe first-order interactions of internal tides with slowly varying mean flow and mean buoyancy fields and their respective shear. The model is validated via comparisons with semianalytic models and nonlinear primitive equation models in several idealized and realistic simulations that include internal tide interactions with topography and mean flows. Then, 24 simulations of internal tide generation and propagation in the greater Mid-Atlantic Bight region are used to diagnose significant internal tide interactions with the Gulf Stream. The simulations indicate that locally generated mode-one internal tides refract and/or reflect at the Gulf Stream. The redirected internal tides often reappear at the shelf break, where their onshore energy fluxes are intermittent (i.e., noncoherent with surface tide) because meanders in the Gulf Stream alter their precise location, phase, and amplitude. These results provide an explanation for anomalous onshore energy fluxes that were previously observed at the New Jersey shelf break and linked to the irregular generation of nonlinear internal waves.

Observations of Internal Tides on the Oregon Continental Slope

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1772-1794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim I. Martini ◽  
Matthew H. Alford ◽  
Eric Kunze ◽  
Samuel M. Kelly ◽  
Jonathan D. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Continental Slope ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spring Tide ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Three Dimensional Model

Abstract A complex superposition of locally forced and shoaling remotely generated semidiurnal internal tides occurs on the Oregon continental slope. Presented here are observations from a zonal line of five profiling moorings deployed across the continental slope from 500 to 3000 m, a 24-h expendable current profiler (XCP) survey, and five 15–48-h lowered ADCP (LADCP)/CTD stations. The 40-day moored deployment spans three spring and two neap tides, during which the proportions of the locally and remotely forced internal tides vary. Baroclinic signals are strong throughout spring and neap tides, with 4–5-day-long bursts of strong cross-slope baroclinic semidiurnal velocity and vertical displacement . Energy fluxes exhibit complex spatial and temporal patterns throughout both tidal periods. During spring tides, local barotropic forcing is strongest and energy flux over the slope is predominantly offshore (westward). During neap tides, shoaling remotely generated internal tides dominate and energy flux is predominantly onshore (eastward). Shoaling internal tides do not exhibit a strong spring–neap cycle and are also observed during the first spring tide, indicating that they originate from multiple sources. The bulk of the remotely generated internal tide is hypothesized to be generated from south of the array (e.g., Mendocino Escarpment), because energy fluxes at the deep mooring 100 km offshore are always directed northward. However, fluxes on the slope suggest that the northbound internal tide is turned onshore, most likely by reflection from large-scale bathymetry. This is verified with a simple three-dimensional model of mode-1 internal tides propagating obliquely onto a near-critical slope, whose output conforms fairly well to observations, in spite of its simplicity.

scholarly journals Internal tides and energy fluxes over Great Meteor Seamount

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Gerkema ◽  
H. van Haren
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Generation Model ◽  
Southern Slope ◽  
Energy Fluxes ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Great Meteor Seamount ◽  
Whole Water

Abstract. Internal-tide energy fluxes are determined halfway over the southern slope of Great Meteor Seamount (Canary Basin), using data from combined CTD/LADCP yoyoing, covering the whole water column. The strongest signal is semi-diurnal and is concentrated in the upper few hundred meters of the water column. An indeterminacy in energy flux profiles is discussed; it is argued that a commonly applied condition used to uniquely determine these profiles does in fact not apply over sloping bottoms. However, the vertically integrated flux can be established unambiguously. The observed results are compared to the outcome of a numerical internal-tide generation model. For the semi-diurnal internal tide, the vertically integrated flux found in the model corresponds well to the observed one. For the diurnal tide, however, the former is much smaller; this points to non-tidal origins of the diurnal signal, which is indeed to be expected at this latitude (30°), where near-inertial and diurnal periods coincide.

Spatial-temporal variability of M2 internal tides modulated by the Kuroshio currents and mesoscale eddies northeast of Taiwan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hang Chang ◽  
Yahao Liu
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Mesoscale Eddies ◽  
Vertical Displacement ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Energy Beam ◽  
Continental Slopes ◽  
The Kuroshio

<p>The spatial-temporal variability and energetics of M2 internal tides during their generation and propagation through the Kuroshio flows and robust eddies northeast of Taiwan are investigated using a high-resolution numerical model. The corrugated continental slopes, particularly the I-Lan Ridge and Mien-Hua Canyon, are identified as the energetic sources of M2 internal tides. The M2 internal tide generation is influenced by the horizontally varying and zonally tilting stratification associated with the Kuroshio currents and mesoscale eddies. In this situation, the magnitude of conversion rate and energy beam exhibit highly temporal variability. An energetic along-slope tidal beam from the I-Lan Ridge radiates southward against the northward Kuroshio flows, causing strong vertical displacement. Complex background currents lead to the time-varying inhomogeneous diapycnal mixing induced by internal tide dissipation.</p>

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