Study on Ocean Submesoscale Dynamics and Wave–Current Interactions

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Oceanography".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 October 2023) | Viewed by 1434

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Department of Oceanology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian
Interests: physical oceanography; Rossby waves; mesoscale eddies; altimetry; Lofoten vortex; sea level variability; vortex dynamics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ocean submesoscale dynamics refers to the physical processes that occur in the ocean at spatial scales of about 1–100 km, and at time scales of hours to days. These processes are important for understanding the ocean's circulation and biogeochemistry, and for predicting and mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events and climate change.

One important aspect of submesoscale dynamics is the interaction between ocean currents and waves. Waves can interact with ocean currents in several ways, including modifying the surface roughness of the ocean, inducing the mixing of different water masses, and generating small-scale eddies and turbulence. These interactions can have significant impacts on the transport and distribution of heat, salt, and nutrients in the ocean, and on the behavior of marine organisms.

Another important aspect of submesoscale dynamics is the formation and evolution of oceanic fronts. Fronts are regions where water masses with different properties (such as temperature, salinity, and density) meet and mix. Submesoscale processes play a key role in the formation and maintenance of fronts, and can have important ecological and biogeochemical implications. For example, fronts can be hotspots of biological productivity, as they bring together nutrient-rich and -poor waters, and can also affect the distribution and migration of marine organisms.

Prof. Dr. Tatyana V. Belonenko
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • ocean submesoscale dynamics
  • ocean circulation
  • ocean current
  • ocean biogeochemistry
  • sea air
  • ocean–atmosphere interaction
  • ocean currents and waves
  • ocean surface
  • water masses
  • oceanic fronts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 4570 KiB  
Article
On the Measurement of Ocean Near-Surface Current from a Moving Buoy
by Carlos F. Herrera-Vázquez, Nicolas Rascle, Francisco J. Ocampo-Torres, Pedro Osuna and Héctor García-Nava
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(8), 1534; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11081534 - 1 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2347
Abstract
This paper studies the error that occurs when measuring surface currents with a current meter mounted on a buoy or a mooring line whose horizontal and vertical motions respond to the presence of waves. The error is defined with respect to an Eulerian [...] Read more.
This paper studies the error that occurs when measuring surface currents with a current meter mounted on a buoy or a mooring line whose horizontal and vertical motions respond to the presence of waves. The error is defined with respect to an Eulerian reference measurement where the sensor does not move. First, we present the subject with a theoretical analysis in the case of a monochromatic wave. That idealized model allows us to study particular sensor or mooring line motions. Second, a realistic numerical model is implemented to reconstruct the current field with a high resolution near the surface. Wave orbital velocities are generated with a random phase model. An Ekman-type current, uniform in the horizontal but with a vertical shear, is also incorporated. The results indicate that the error in the current measurement is highly dependent on the sensor motion induced by waves. The error magnitude is proportional to the wave momentum or Stokes drift and depends on the wave development state and the wind-generated current’s magnitude. The error obtained in the current measurement is analyzed by considering that the buoy only responds to low-frequency waves up to a maximum frequency. That maximum frequency is referenced concerning the peak frequency of the third moment of the spectrum (i.e., the Stokes drift spectrum). It allows us to classify the current time average into three ranges with respect to the maximum frequency: (1) Eulerian average, (2) wave-following average, and (3) intermediate case of undulating average where results cannot be generalized. The measurement error is most important in the region above the wave troughs. However, the error is also considerable in the region confined below the wave troughs and down to the Stokes drift e-folding depth. The error is particularly relevant in conditions of developed and energetic waves (Hs>3 m), where the surface Stokes drift can reach values above 0.1 m/s. It should be noted that measurement error can exceed the value of the Stokes drift at the sensor depth for certain mooring line motions. Those results should help better interpret in situ near-surface current measurements obtained from various devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on Ocean Submesoscale Dynamics and Wave–Current Interactions)
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