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Suppression of eddy diffusivity across jets in the Southern Ocean
Citation
Ferrari, R and Nikurashin, M, Suppression of eddy diffusivity across jets in the Southern Ocean, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 40, (July) pp. 1501-1519. ISSN 0022-3670 (2010) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2010 American Meteorological Society
DOI: doi:10.1175/2010JPO4278.1
Abstract
Geostrophic eddies control the meridional mixing of heat, carbon, and other climatically important tracers
in the Southern Ocean. The rate of eddy mixing is typically quantified through an eddy diffusivity. There is an
ongoing debate as to whether eddy mixing in enhanced in the core of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or on
its flanks. A simple expression is derived that predicts the rate of eddy mixing, that is, the eddy diffusivity, as
a function of eddy and mean current statistics. This novel expression predicts suppression of the cross-jet eddy
diffusivity in the core of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, despite enhanced values of eddy kinetic energy.
The expression is qualitatively and quantitatively validated by independent estimates of eddy mixing from
altimetry observations. This work suggests that the meridional eddy diffusivity across the Antarctic Circumpolar
Current is weaker than presently assumed because of the suppression of eddy mixing by the strong
zonal current.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | oceanic eddies, tracer transport, effective diffusivity, satellite altimetry, suppression, barrier to mixing |
Research Division: | Earth Sciences |
Research Group: | Oceanography |
Research Field: | Physical oceanography |
Objective Division: | Environmental Policy, Climate Change and Natural Hazards |
Objective Group: | Understanding climate change |
Objective Field: | Climate change models |
UTAS Author: | Nikurashin, M (Dr Maxim Nikurashin) |
ID Code: | 79717 |
Year Published: | 2010 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 148 |
Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
Deposited On: | 2012-10-01 |
Last Modified: | 2012-11-21 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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