Coastal mixing

沿海海域的流量、温度、盐度、营养物、沉积物、氧等的平均时空变异在很大程度上是由小尺度波动湍流过程决定的。可以定性地理解，在这些环境中，湍流可以由潮流、风、表面和内波破碎以及洋流切变引起。然而，关于湍流波动是如何产生的以及能量是如何消散的定量图景，从根本上说还没有得到很好的理解。缺乏对小尺度过程的了解和可预测性限制了我们模拟和预测沿海海洋平均状态的能力。这项研究的目的是发展海洋湍流的新理论和模型，并通过实地测量对其进行检验。这将通过进行沿海流动的计算机模拟和在海洋中部署最先进的仪器来测量湍流特性来实现。从长远来看，希望这项研究的结果将有助于更准确地预测加拿大沿海海洋的状况及其海洋生态系统的动态。更好地了解沿海地区将有助于管理鱼类资源以及对气候变化情景的影响和适应性。

The mean spatio-temporal variability in flow, temperature, salinity, nutrients, sediments, oxygen etc., in coastal seas is largely determined by small-scale fluctuating turbulent processes. It is qualitatively understood that in these environments  turbulence can be induced by tidal currents, wind, surface and internal wave breaking and current shear. However, the quantitative picture of how turbulent fluctuations are being produced and how the energy is dissipated is fundamentally not well undertstood. This lack of understading and predictability of small-scale processes limits our skills in simulating and predicting the mean state of coastal oceans.The goal of this research is to develop new theories and models of ocean turbulence and to tests them against field measurements. This will be done by carrying out computer simulations of coastal flows and by deploying  in the ocean state-of-the-art instrumentation to measure turbulent properties. In the long run, the hope is that the results of this research will help to foresee more accurately the state of Canada's coastal ocean and the dynamics of its marine ecosystem. A better understanding of coastal zones will help manage fish resources and the impact and adaptability to climate change scenarios.