Abstract
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS,
VOL. 35,
L08606,
5 PP., 2008
doi:10.1029/2008GL033532
Mixing across the Arctic Ocean: Microstructure observations during the Beringia 2005 Expedition
Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Physical Oceanography Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
Turbulent-scale temperature and conductivity were measured during the pan-arctic Beringia 2005 Expedition. The rates of dissipation of thermal variance and diapycnal diffusivities are calculated along a section from Alaska to the North Pole, across deep flat basins (Canada and Makarov Basins) and steep ridges (Alpha-Mendeleev and Lomonosov Ridges). The mixing rates are observed to be small relative to lower latitudes but also remarkably non-uniform. Relatively elevated turbulence is found over deep topography, confirming the dominant role of bottom-generated internal waves. Measured patterns of mixing in the Arctic are also associated with other mechanisms, such as double-diffusive structures and deep overflows. A better knowledge of the distribution of mixing is essential to understand the dynamics of the changing Arctic environment.
Received 6 February 2008; accepted 27 March 2008; published 30 April 2008.
Citation: (2008), Mixing across the Arctic Ocean: Microstructure observations during the Beringia 2005 Expedition, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L08606, doi:10.1029/2008GL033532.
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