Collaborative Research: Global Impacts of Eddies on Inertial Oscillations of the Mixed Layer

表面混合层的风激惯性振荡产生传播的近惯性波，最终破坏并驱动海洋内部的小尺度混合。这种小尺度混合对大尺度环流的重要性日益明显。然而，根据目前的估计范围，从混合层到传播近惯性波的能量通量可能在海洋的能量预算中发挥主要作用，与潮汐输入相当，或者可能完全可以忽略不计——这是一个基本的不确定性。本研究使用数据分析，辅以数值模拟，来评估涡旋在形成混合层振荡的全球特征中的作用。主要目标是更准确地估计风强迫对近惯性波场的全球贡献。该策略是围绕访问和解释最近增强的数据集中包含的动态信息建立的-全球漂流计划网络的表面浮标，现在可以获得自2005年以来大约每小时的分辨率。使用一套新的数学工具将捕获混合层中惯性振荡的时变特性，同时，那些有望调制惯性环境的中尺度涡流。智力优势：这个以过程为导向的研究将是理解和量化海洋机械能收支这一更大目标的重要一步。它将直接有利于在一般环流模型中表现海洋对风强迫的反应，从而提高我们准确预测气候尺度变化的能力。此外，该方法汇集了数据收集、分析和数值过程建模方面的先进技术和专业知识，将优化利用新的可用资源，并将确定未来研究的突出领域。更广泛的影响：这项工作的一个主要社会效益是它对我们预测长期气候变化能力的潜在影响。基金包括支持博士后研究人员，他们将接触到新的数据集，数据分析技术和数值研究。该项目将通过支持和促进高分辨率漂浮物数据集作为海洋动力学新窗口的使用，使其他研究人员受益。在这项工作中开发的分析算法将通过包含在JLAB （j.m. Lilly的Matlab开源软件包）中，免费分发给更大的科学界。该项目还将资助两名早期职业科学家。

Wind-forced inertial oscillations of the surface mixed layer generate propagating near-inertial waves, which eventually break and drive small-scale mixing in the ocean interior. The importance of such small-scale mixing for the large-scale circulation is becoming increasingly apparent. However, based on the current range of estimates, the flux of energy from the mixed layer to propagating near-inertial waves may either play a major role in the ocean's power budget, comparable to the tidal input, or may be entirely negligible - a fundamental uncertainty.This study uses data analyses, supplemented by numerical modeling, to assess the role of eddies in shaping the global character of mixed layer oscillations. The primary goal is a more accurate estimate of the global contribution of wind forcing to the near-inertial wave field. The strategy is built around accessing and interpreting the dynamical information contained in a recently enhanced dataset - the Global Drifter Program network of surface buoys, now available with approximately hourly resolution since 2005. The use of a new set of mathematical tools will capture the time-varying properties of inertial oscillations in the mixed layer, and simultaneously, those of the mesoscale eddies expected to modulate the inertial environment.Intellectual Merit: This process-oriented study will be an important step in the larger goal of understanding and quantifying the mechanical energy budget of the ocean. It will have a direct benefit to the representation of the ocean's response to wind forcing in general circulation models, and consequently, to our ability to accurately predict climate-scale variability. Furthermore, the approach which brings together advances and expertise in data collection, analysis, and numerical process modeling will make optimal use of newly available resources and will identify outstanding areas for future research.Broader Impacts: A primary societal benefit of this work is its potential impact on our ability to predict long-term climate variability. Funds are included to support a postdoctoral researcher, who will gain exposure to novel datasets, data analysis techniques, and numerical studies. The project will benefit other investigators by supporting and promoting the use of the high-resolution drifter dataset as a new window on ocean dynamics. Analysis algorithms developed in this work will be freely distributed to the greater scientific community, by inclusion in JLAB, J. M. Lilly's open-source software package for Matlab. The project will also fund two early career scientists.