Estimates of turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate (
This content will become publicly available on August 22, 2024
Bubble plume penetration depths have been identified as a key parameter linking subsurface turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rates and whitecaps. From data collected in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, nominally 50°S 40°W, bubble plume penetration depths were estimated from Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler measurements of the acoustic backscatter anomaly. Bubble presence at depth was corroborated using independent measurements of optical scattering. Here, an effective wavelength, observations of significant wave height and atmospheric forcing were used to scale penetration depths of breaking waves under open ocean conditions. The parameterization was developed assuming a correlation between the observed penetration depth and an estimate of the TKE dissipation rate enhancement under breaking waves. The effective wavelength was defined from the effective phase speed based on a momentum and energy balance across the atmospheric wave boundary layer and was considered to be the largest actively wind‐coupled wave and representative of large‐scale breaking for wave ages ranging from 15 to 35 (i.e., 15 ≤ 〈
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10453714
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
- Volume:
- 128
- Issue:
- 9
- ISSN:
- 2169-9275
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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