LIDAR and Numerical Modeling Studies of Small-Scale Lateral Dispersion in the Ocean

摘要

Our long-term goal is to better understand lateral mixing processes on scales of 0.1-10 km in the ocean. This includes the underlying mechanisms and forcing, as well as the temporal, spatial, and scale variability of such mixing. The particular goal of the present work is to directly observe the processes governing lateral stirring at these scales via high resolution dye release experiments using airborne LIDAR. The broad impacts of this research range from a better understanding of ocean ecosystems and ocean health, to improved parameterizations in numerical models, to a variety of other practical purposes.