Turbulence and Mixing in the Surface Wave Layer

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Melville The turbulence and mixing in the first few meters of the mixed layer (the surface wave layer) as well as their relation to wave breaking and to transport by Langmuir circulation will investigated in a series of field experiment off the California coast. The measurements will be made from a light weight buoy system measuring winds, waves, air temperature, and vertical arrays of acoustic instruments in the water to measure turbulent kinetic energy, dissipation and bubble entrainment. Conductivity sensors will be used very close to the surface to measure high void fractions. A surface scanning Acoustic Doppler Profiler will be used to characterize the Langmuir circulations. Models of dissipation due to breaking and of turbulence in the surface wave layer will be tested against the observations.