TT53D:
Turbulence Microstructure Measurements in the 21st Century

Session ID#: 84945

Session Description:
Ocean microstructure measurements were first made in the 1950s, motivated by concerns about underwater warfare. Interest has since shifted to the influence of ocean mixing on biogeochemical and climate processes, and the instrumentation has advanced significantly. Measurements are now obtained from underwater gliders, AUVs, and profiling floats, in addition to classical vertical profilers. Despite the increase in data quantity, turbulence is still undersampled in comparison to other ocean parameters. Efforts are currently underway to conduct turbulence measurements over longer temporal and larger spatial scales throughout the world’s oceans so that more accurate parameterizations of these small scale processes can be developed and incorporated into ocean models. To achieve more widespread turbulence measurements there are several challenges to overcome, including improving the robustness of sensors, automating and standardizing data processing, and assessment of the accuracy of common assumptions. This tutorial will provide an overview of (i) the current scientific challenges related to ocean mixing; (ii) the technical solutions currently available and remaining observational challenges; and (iii) the long term objectives of the research community and associated future measurement solutions.
Co-Sponsor(s):
  • IS - Ocean Observatories, Instrumentation and Sensing Technologies
  • PS - Physical Oceanography: Mesoscale and Smaller
Index Terms:

4524 Fine structure and microstructure [OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL]
4568 Turbulence, diffusion, and mixing processes [OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL]
4594 Instruments and techniques [OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL]
Primary Presenter:  Justine McMillan, Rockland Scientific Inc, Victoria, BC, Canada
Co-Presenter:  Matthew H Alford, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, United States
Moderators:  Colleen B Mouw, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, United States and Dr. Camille Pagniello, PhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States

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