Brian S. Powell

Effects of Remote Generation Sites on Model Estimates of M2 Internal Tides in the Philippine Sea

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of remotely generated internal tides on model estimates of barotropic to baroclinic tidal conversion for two generation sites bounding the Philippine Sea: the Luzon Strait and the Mariana Island Arc. A primitive equation model is used to characterize the internal tides generated by the principal semidiurnal tide (M2) over a domain encompassing the two generation sites. Energetic internal tides are generated at the Luzon Strait where nearly 17 GW of barotropic tide energy is converted to baroclinic energy, of which 44% (4.78 GW) is radiated eastward into the Philippine Sea. From the Mariana Arc, baroclinic energy propagates westward into the Philippine Sea as a result of 3.82 GW of barotropic to baroclinic energy conversion. Simulations that focus on each generation site without influence of the other are performed, and comparisons show that remotely generated internal tides have a significant effect on local conversion at the two sites. Total conversion is greate...

The Impact of Subtidal Circulation on Internal Tide Generation and Propagation in the Philippine Sea

AbstractThis study examines the effects of the subtidal circulation on the generation and propagation of the M2 internal tide in the Philippine Sea using a primitive equation model. Barotropic to baroclinic conversion at the Luzon Strait is found to vary due to the background circulation changes over the generation site and the changing influence of remotely generated internal tides from the Mariana Arc. The varying effect of remotely generated waves results from both changing generation energy levels at the Mariana Arc and variability in the propagation of the internal tides across the Philippine Sea. The magnitude and direction of the depth-integrated baroclinic energy fluxes vary temporally, due to a combination of changing generation, propagation, and dissipation. Spatial patterns of internal tide propagation near the Luzon Strait are influenced by the locations of mesoscale eddies to the east and west of the strait. The results provide insight into the mechanisms of variability of the baroclinic tide...

An Optimal Filter for Geostrophic Mesoscale Currents from Along-Track Satellite Altimetry

Abstract An optimal difference operator is derived for smoothing along-track sea surface height measurements from satellite altimeters and computing geostrophic surface currents at or below ocean mesoscale wavelengths with second-order approximation accuracy. The difference operator minimizes the white noise of the height measurements to find a compact difference formula for the sea surface height derivative and a residual noise estimate for the surface geostrophic velocity. This compact, optimal operator has fine along-track spatial resolution ideal for studies in areas of shallow water, near landfall, and at high latitudes where the first-baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation becomes small. Accurate extraequatorial geostrophic velocities are determined by varying the filter window to maintain accuracy and resolution, which will benefit global mesoscale studies from the tandem Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon missions and, particularly, the proposed wide-swath altimetry mission.

Data assimilative modeling investigation of Gulf Stream Warm Core Ring interaction with continental shelf and slope circulation

A data assimilative ocean circulation model is used to hindcast the interaction between a large Gulf Stream Warm Core Ring (WCR) with the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) shelf and slope circulation. Using the recently developed Incremental Strong constraint 4D Variational (I4D-Var) data assimilation algorithm, the model assimilates mapped satellite sea surface height (SSH), sea surface temperature (SST), in situ temperature, and salinity profiles measured by expendable bathythermograph, Argo floats, shipboard CTD casts, and glider transects. Model validations against independent hydrographic data show 60% and 57% error reductions in temperature and salinity, respectively. The WCR significantly changed MAB continental slope and shelf circulation. The mean cross-shelf transport induced by the WCR is estimated to be 0.28 Sv offshore, balancing the mean along-shelf transport by the shelfbreak jet. Large heat/salt fluxes with peak values of 8900 W m−2/4 × 10−4 kg m−2 s−1 are found when the WCR was impinging upon the shelfbreak. Vorticity analysis reveals the nonlinear advection term, as well as the residual of joint effect of baroclinicity and bottom relief (JEBAR) and advection of potential vorticity (APV) play important roles in controlling the variability of the eddy vorticity.

Sensitivity of Internal Tide Generation in Hawaii

Energy from the barotropic tide is transferred into the baroclinic tide over topographic gradients, which provides a mechanism for the ocean boundaries to communicate with the deep ocean, to close energy budgets, and as a source of flux affecting nutrient supply and larval transport. Understanding the temporal variability of the conversion from barotropic to baroclinic tides is critical to our understanding of these processes. Using a numerical model and its adjoint, we examine the sensitivity of tidal conversion at Kaena Ridge in Hawaii. We find a sensitivity to changes in the upper ocean due to a phase difference between the pressure anomaly and tidal velocity caused by internal waves generated on the opposite slope of the ridge; however, we also find that conversion is equally as sensitive to local, deep stratification changes.

The Impact of Subtidal Circulation on Internal-Tide-Induced Mixing in the Philippine Sea

AbstractThis study uses a primitive equation model to estimate the time-varying M2 internal tide dissipation in the Philippine Sea in the presence of the subtidal circulation. The time-mean diapycnal diffusivity due to the M2 internal tide is estimated to be 4.0–4.8 × 10−4 m2 s−1 at the Luzon Strait and 2–9 × 10−5 m2 s−1 in the Philippine Sea basin. The variability in internal tides and their interactions with the subtidal ocean circulation results in significant spatial and temporal variability in the energy available for mixing. The subtidal circulation influences internal-tide-induced mixing in two ways: by introducing variability in internal tide generation and by increased dissipation of baroclinic energy associated with greater velocity shear. Close to the generation site, mixing is dominated by high-mode internal tide dissipation, while in the far field the influence of the mesoscale energy on internal tide dissipation is significant, resulting in increased dissipation. This study presents model-ba...

Quantifying the Incoherent M2 Internal Tide in the Philippine Sea

AbstractThe baroclinic tides are a crucial source of mixing energy into the deep ocean; however, the incoherent portion of the spectrum is not well examined because it is difficult to observe. This study estimates the coherent and incoherent M2 internal tide energy fluxes in the Philippine Sea using a primitive equation model that resolves the M2 barotropic and baroclinic tides and the time-evolving atmospherically forced eddying circulation. A time-mean, incoherent, internal tide energy flux of 25% of the coherent energy flux is found to emanate eastward into the Philippine Sea from the Luzon Strait and a time-mean incoherent portion of 30% of the coherent energy flux propagates westward into the South China Sea (SCS). The incoherent internal tide energy results from baroclinic tide generation and propagation variability. Quantifying the incoherent portion estimates the energy missing from altimeter-derived or line-integral acoustic measurements and places short-lived, in situ observations in the context...

The Vorticity Balance of the Ocean Surface in Hawaii from a Regional Reanalysis

AbstractThe ocean surface vorticity budget around the Hawaiian Islands is examined using an 18-month model reanalysis generated using four-dimensional variational state estimation with all available observations (satellite, in situ, and high-frequency radio). To better resolve the ocean surface currents and reduce the representation error of the radio-measured surface currents, this study developed a new vertical scheme for the Regional Ocean Modeling System. A new, detailed description of the ocean surface vorticity is created, revealing a region dominated by cyclonic (anticyclonic) vorticity to the north (south) of the mean position of the Hawaii Lee Countercurrent. Advection of vorticity is the primary process that transports the vorticity generated in the lee of the islands by the wind wake. In this island lee, the zonal wavenumber spectra show a cascade of vorticity/energy from the submesoscale toward the larger scales. Latitudinal differences in the advection of vorticity spectra indicate the propag...

Using a numerical model to understand the connection between the ocean and acoustic travel-time measurements

Measurements of acoustic ray travel-times in the ocean provide synoptic integrals of the ocean state between source and receiver. It is known that the ray travel-time is sensitive to variations in the ocean at the transmission time, but the sensitivity of the travel-time to spatial variations in the ocean prior to the acoustic transmission have not been quantified. This study examines the sensitivity of ray travel-time to the temporally and spatially evolving ocean state in the Philippine Sea using the adjoint of a numerical model. A one year series of five day backward integrations of the adjoint model quantify the sensitivity of travel-times to varying dynamics that can alter the travel-time of a 611 km ray by 200 ms. The early evolution of the sensitivities reveals high-mode internal waves that dissipate quickly, leaving the lowest three modes, providing a connection to variations in the internal tide generation prior to the sample time. They are also strongly sensitive to advective effects that alter density along the ray path. These sensitivities reveal how travel-time measurements are affected by both nearby and distant waters. Temporal nonlinearity of the sensitivities suggests that prior knowledge of the ocean state is necessary to exploit the travel-time observations.

Comparison of buoy and altimeter-derived shelf currents using an optimal operator

We compare in situ current measurements with remotely sensed surface currents from satellite altimetry calculated using a novel operator to estimate geostrophic currents with minimum noise. Buoys from the Texas Automated Buoy System measured currents in the shallow waters of the Louisiana/Texas shelf. The optimally derived currents from TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 are shown to be highly correlated even in this shallow water environment.