Early report on field observations of Langmuir turbulence: from relevant forcing parameters, to multi-scale interactions, to impact on the mixed layer
Early report on field observations of Langmuir turbulence: from relevant forcing parameters, to multi-scale interactions, to impact on the mixed layer
Abstract:
This presentation will describe the design of a recent large field experiment, as well as its preliminary results pertaining to Langmuir turbulence (LT). The dataset includes airborne remote sensing observations of LT’s horizontal spatial structure, as well as sub-surface measurements utilizing bottom mounted and glider mounted current profilers. Resolved relevant forcing parameters include directional surface wave spectrum, as well as air-sea heat and momentum fluxes. This combined dataset aims not only to provide observations of Langmuir turbulence structure over a variety of weather conditions encountered during the ~30 days duration of the experiment, but also to provide all parameters necessary to initialize and validate various numerical and theoretical models attempting to resolve Langmuir turbulence and its effects on the mixed layer dynamics.