Quantification of mixing hotspots in the Southern Ocean for accurate modeling of the global overturning circulation
Description: Global mapping of deep-ocean mixing is crucial for accurate modeling of the global overturning circulation. In this study, we conducted microstructure observations in the Southern Ocean with wind-induced mixing hotspots which cannot be expected to exist anywhere else in the world’s oceans. We successfully obtained quite a few microstructure data from the sea surface down to the seabed using a newly developed microstructure profiler called VMP-X. Based on the results from these microstructure observations as well as accompanying numerical experiments, we next assessed the validity of the existing fine-scale parameterization of turbulent dissipation rates in the Southern Ocean. It has been shown that the existing fine-scale parameterizations tend to overestimate turbulent dissipation rates especially near the polar front of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current where mesoscale eddy activities are prominent.
Amount: ¥42,250,000
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
Start date: 2015-04-01
End date: 2018-03-31
Investigator: Toshiyuki HIBIYA (lead)
Institution: The University of Tokyo
Funded outputs count: 23
Funder award ID: 15H02131
OpenAlex ID: G5745374236