Articles | Volume 31, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-477-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-477-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Energy transfer from internal solitary waves to turbulence via high-frequency internal waves: seismic observations in the northern South China Sea
Linghan Meng
School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
Yongxian Guan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
MNR Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou, 510760, China
Shun Yang
School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
Kun Zhang
School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
Mengli Liu
School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
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Wenhao Fan, Haibin Song, Yi Gong, Shun Yang, and Kun Zhang
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 29, 141–160, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-141-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-141-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Compared with mode-1 internal solitary waves (ISWs), mode-2 ISWs in the ocean require further study. A mass of mode-2 ISWs developing at the Pacific coast of Central America have been imaged using seismic reflection data. We find that the relationship between the mode-2 ISW propagation speed and amplitude is diverse. It is affected by seawater depth, pycnocline depth, and pycnocline thickness. The ISW vertical amplitude structure is affected by the ISW nonlinearity and the pycnocline deviation.
Yi Gong, Haibin Song, Zhongxiang Zhao, Yongxian Guan, Kun Zhang, Yunyan Kuang, and Wenhao Fan
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 28, 445–465, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-445-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-445-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
When the internal solitary wave propagates to the continental shelf and slope, the polarity reverses due to the shallower water depth. In this process, the internal solitary wave dissipates energy and enhances diapycnal mixing, thus affecting the local oceanic environment. In this study, we used reflection seismic data to evaluate the spatial distribution of the diapycnal mixing around the polarity-reversing internal solitary waves.
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Editorial statement
The authors make innovative use of seismic data to gain new insights into ocean dynamics, particularly regarding nonlinear internal waves and mixing processes.
The authors make innovative use of seismic data to gain new insights into ocean dynamics,...
Short summary
With seismic data, we observed high-frequency internal waves (HIWs) with amplitudes of around 10 m. A shoaling thermocline and gentle slope suggest that HIWs result from fission. Remote sensing data support this. Strong shear caused Ri below 0.25 over 20–30 km, indicating instability. HIWs enhance mixing, averaging 10-4 m2s-1, revealing a new energy cascade from shoaling waves to turbulence, and enhancing our understanding of energy dissipation and mixing in the northern South China Sea.
With seismic data, we observed high-frequency internal waves (HIWs) with amplitudes of around 10...