Overlapping boundary layers in coastal oceans

Boundary layer turbulence in coastal regions differs from that in deep ocean because of bottom interactions. In this paper, we focus on the merging of surface and bottom boundary layers in a finite-depth coastal ocean by numerically solving the wave-averaged equations using a large eddy simulation method. The ocean fluid is driven by combined effects of wind stress, surface wave, and a steady current in the presence of stable vertical stratification. The resulting flow consists of two overlapping boundary layers, i.e. surface and bottom boundary layers, separated by an interior stratification. The overlapping boundary layers evolve through three phases, i.e. a rapid deepening, an oscillatory equilibrium and a prompt merger, separated by two transitions. Before the merger, internal waves are observed in the stratified layer, and they are excited mainly by Langmuir turbulence in the surface boundary layer. These waves induce a clear modulation on the bottom-generated turbulence, facilitating the interaction between the surface and bottom boundary layers. After the merger, the Langmuir circulations originally confined to the surface layer are found to grow in size and extend down to the sea bottom (even though the surface waves do not feel the bottom), reminiscent of the well-organized Langmuir supercells. These full-depth Langmuir circulations promote the vertical mixing and enhance the bottom shear, leading to a significant enhancement of turbulence levels in the vertical column.

Fully developed anelastic convection with no-slip boundaries

Anelastic convection at high Rayleigh number in a plane parallel layer with no slip boundaries is considered. Energy and entropy balance equations are derived, and they are used to develop scaling laws for the heat transport and the Reynolds number. The appearance of an entropy structure consisting of a well-mixed uniform interior, bounded by thin layers with entropy jumps across them, makes it possible to derive explicit forms for these scaling laws. These are given in terms of the Rayleigh number, the Prandtl number and the bottom to top temperature ratio, which also measures how much the density varies across the layer. The top and bottom boundary layers are examined and they are found to be very different, unlike in the Boussinesq case. Elucidating the structure of these boundary layers plays a crucial part in determining the scaling laws. Physical arguments governing these boundary layers are presented, concentrating on the case in which the boundary layers are so thin that temperature and density vary little across them, even though there may be substantial temperature and density variations across the whole layer. Different scaling laws are found, depending on whether the viscous dissipation is primarily in the boundary layers or in the bulk. The cases of both high and low Prandtl number are considered. Numerical simulations of no-slip anelastic convection up to a Rayleigh number of $10^7$ have been performed and our theoretical predictions are compared with the numerical results.

Boundary layer-mediated vorticity generation in currents over sloping bathymetry

Current-topography interactions in the ocean give rise to eddies spanning a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Latest modeling efforts indicate that coastal and underwater topography are important generation sites for submesoscale coherent vortices (SCVs), characterized by horizontal scales of (0.1 – 10) km. Using idealized, submesoscale and BBL-resolving simulations and adopting an integrated vorticity balance formulation, we quantify precisely the role of bottom boundary layers (BBLs) in the vorticity generation process. In particular, we show that vorticity generation on topographic slopes is attributable primarily to the torque exerted by the vertical divergence of stress at the bottom. We refer to this as the Bottom Stress Divergence Torque (BSDT). BSDT is a fundamentally nonconservative torque that appears as a source term in the integrated vorticity budget and is to be distinguished from the more familiar Bottom Stress Curl (BSC). It is closely connected to the bottom pressure torque (BPT) via the horizontal momentum balance at the bottom and is in fact shown to be the dominant component of BPT in solutions with a well-resolved BBL. This suggests an interpretation of BPT as the sum of a viscous, vorticity generating component (BSDT) and an inviscid, ‘flow-turning ’ component. Companion simulations without bottom drag illustrate that although vorticity generation can still occur through the inviscid mechanisms of vortex stretching and tilting, the wake eddies tend to have weaker circulation, be substantially less energetic, and have smaller spatial scales.

High vertical shear and dissipation in equatorial topographic wakes

Submesoscale coherent vortices (SCVs) are a ubiquitous feature of topographic wakes in the extratropical oceans. Recent studies demonstrate a mechanism wherein high vorticity bottom boundary layers (BBLs) on the slopes of the topography separate (forming shear layers), undergo instabilities, and subsequently merge in the horizontal and align in the vertical to form vertically coherent, columnar, SCVs (i.e. with low vertical shear). Background rotation is critical to the vertical alignment of unstable vortical filaments into coherent SCVs. In the tropics, however, the weakening of rotation prevents this alignment. Employing an idealized framework of steady barotropic flow past an isolated seamount in a background of constant stratification N and rotation rate f, we examine the wake structure for a range of f values spanning values from the poles to the tropics. We find a systematic increase in the interior vertical shear with decreasing f that manifests as a highly layered wake structure consisting of vertically thin, ‘pancake’ SCVs possessing a high vertical shear. A monotonic increase in the wake energy dissipation rate is concomitantly observed with decreasing f. By examining the evolution equations for the vertical shear and vertical enstrophy, we find that the interior shear generation is an advective process, with the location of peak shear generation approximately colocated with maximum energy dissipation. This leads to the inference that high wake dissipation in tropical tropographic wakes is caused by parameterized shear instabilities induced by interior advective generation of vertical shear in the near wake region.

Large Eddy Simulation of Near-Bed Flow and Turbulence over Roughness Elements in the Shallow Open-Channel

Turbulent flows in rough open-channels have complex structures near the channel-bed. The near-bed flow can cause bed erosion, channel instability, and damages to fish habitats. This paper aims to improve our understanding of the structures. Transverse square bars placed at the channel-bed form two-dimensional roughness elements. Turbulent flows over the bars are predicted using large eddy simulation (LES). The predicted flow quantities compare well with experimental data. The LES model predicts mean-flow velocity profiles that resemble those in the classic turbulent boundary layer over a flat plate and profiles that change patterns in the vicinity of roughness elements, depending on the pitch-to-roughness height ratio λ/k. The relative turbulence intensity and normalized Reynolds shear stress reach maxima of 15% and 1.2%, respectively, at λ/k = 8, compared to 9% and 0.2% at λ/k = 2. The predicted bottom boundary layers constitute a large portion of the total depth, indicating roughness effect on the flow throughout the water column. Fluid exchange between the roughness cavity and outer region occurs due to turbulence fluctuations. The fluctuations increase in intensity with increasing λ/k ratio. This ratio dictates the number of eddies in the cavity as well as their locations and shapes. It also controls turbulence stress distributions. LES can be used to explore strategies for erosion control, channel restoration, and habitat protection.

Turbulence Asymmetries in Bottom Boundary Layer Velocity Pulses Associated with Onshore-Propagating Nonlinear Internal Waves

The inner shelf is a region inshore of that part of the shelf that roughly obeys Ekman dynamics and offshore of the surf zone. Importantly, this is where surface and bottom boundary layers are in close proximity, overlap, and interact. The internal tide carries a substantial amount of energy into the inner shelf region were it eventually dissipates and contributes to mixing. A part of this energy transformation is due to a complex interaction with the bottom, where distinctions between nonlinear internal waves of depression and elevation are blurred, indeed, where polarity reversals of incoming waves take place. From an intensive set of measurements over the inner shelf off central California, we identify salient differences between onshore pulses from waves with properties of elevation waves and offshore pulses from shallowing depression waves. While the velocity structures and amplitudes of on/offshore pulses 1 m above the seafloor are not detectably different, onshore pulses are both more energetically turbulent and carry more sediments than offshore pulses. Their turbulence is also oppositely skewed: onshore pulses slightly to the leading edges, offshore pulses to the trailing edges of the pulses. We consider in turn three independent mechanisms that may contribute to the observed asymmetry: propagation in adverse pressure gradients and the resultant inflection point instability, residence time of a fluid parcel in the pulse, and turbulence suppression by stratification. The first mechanism may largely explain higher turbulence in the trailing edge of offshore pulses. The extended residence time may be responsible for the high and more uniform turbulence distribution across onshore compared to offshore pulses. Stratification does not play a leading role in turbulence modification inside of the pulses 1 m above the bed.

Nongeostrophic Baroclinic Instability over Sloping Bathymetry: Buoyant Flow Regime

Baroclinic instabilities are important processes that enhance mixing and dispersion in the ocean. The presence of sloping bathymetry and the nongeostrophic effect influence the formation and evolution of baroclinic instabilities in oceanic bottom boundary layers and in coastal waters. This study explores two nongeostrophic baroclinic instability theories adapted to the scenario with sloping bathymetry and investigates the mechanism of the instability suppression (reduction in growth rate) in the buoyant flow regime. Both the two-layer and continuously stratified models reveal that the suppression is related to a new parameter, slope-relative Burger number Sr ≡ (M2/f2)(α + αp), where M2 is the horizontal buoyancy gradient, α is the bathymetry slope, and αp is the isopycnal slope. In the layer model, the instability growth rate linearly decreases with increasing Sr {the bulk form Sr = [U0/(H0f)](α + αp)}. In the continuously stratified model, the instability suppression intensifies with increasing Sr when the regime shifts from quasigeostrophic to nongeostrophic. The adapted theories are intrinsically applicable to deep ocean bottom boundary layers and could be conditionally applied to coastal buoyancy-driven flow. The slope-relative Burger number is related to the Richardson number by Sr = δrRi−1, where the slope-relative parameter is δr = (α + αp)/αp. Since energetic fronts in coastal zones are often characterized by low Ri, that implies potentially higher values of Sr, which is why baroclinic instabilities may be suppressed in the energetic regions where they would otherwise be expected to be ubiquitous according to the quasigeostrophic theory.