Impacts of breaking waves and langmuir circulations on the ocean mixed layer in high winds

Peter P. Sullivan, James C. McWilliams, W. Kendall Melville

Research output: AbstractPaperpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The combined and interacting influences of Stokes drift and intermittent stress transmission, caused by wave breaking, on the mixed layer were investigated. The modeling components were evaluated in direct numerical simulations (DNS) and implemented in an ocean boundary layer large-eddy simulation (LES) code. Various combinations of upper surface were considered. It was found that a small amount of active breaking, less than 2%, significantly altered the instantaneous flow patterns as well as the ensemble statistics. The greatest mixing occurred with 100% breaking co-existing with Langmuir circulations, a situation where the mean current shear was near zero.

Original languageEnglish
Pages54-55
Number of pages2
StatePublished - 2004
Event26th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorolgy - Miami, FL., United States
Duration: May 3 2004May 7 2004

Conference

Conference26th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorolgy
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMiami, FL.
Period05/3/0405/7/04

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