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Energy Spectra and Cascades in the Global Ocean

ORAL

Abstract

Our understanding of the ocean's spatial scales and their coupling has been derived mostly from Fourier analysis in small "representative" regions, typically a few hundred kilometers in size, that cannot capture the vast dynamic range at planetary scales. We perform a coarse-graining scale-analysis on data from satellites and reanalysis to probe a range of spatial scales spanning more than three orders of magnitude, including both mesoscales and planetary scales. We present a truly global kinetic energy (KE) wavenumber spectrum, as well as the first analysis of the cascade across this entire range of scales. This provides us with the first estimates of the global amount of energy that is transferred by the KE cascade, as well as the scale-dependent depth structure of the oceanic KE spectrum and cascade. I will discuss some of the key findings, including the cascade's seasonality, its scale-locality, its arrest, and the atmospheric imprint.

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Publication: B. Storer, M. Buzzicotti, H. Khatri, H. Aluie, Nature Communications 13, 5314 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33031-3<br>B. Storer, M. Buzzicotti, H. Khatri, H. Aluie, (submitted).

Presenters

  • Hussein Aluie

    Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14625, USA, Dept. of Mechanical Engg, University of Rochester, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

Authors

  • Hussein Aluie

    Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14625, USA, Dept. of Mechanical Engg, University of Rochester, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

  • Benjamin Storer

    University of Rochester, UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER

  • Michele Buzzicotti

    University of Roma Tor Vergata & INFN

  • Hemant Khatri

    University of Liverpool

  • Stephen Griffies

    Princeton/GFDL