Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2016

Presentation information

International Session (Oral)

Symbol A (Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences) » A-OS Ocean Sciences & Ocean Environment

[A-OS04] Ocean Mixing Frontiers

Sun. May 22, 2016 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM 102 (1F)

Convener:*Toshiyuki Hibiya(Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo), Louis St Laurent(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), Ren-Chieh Lien(Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington), Chair:RenChieh Lien(University of Washington, Seattle)

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM

[AOS04-03] Surface Mixing and Its Implementation in Regional Ocean Models

*Robin Robertson1 (1.University of New South Wales, Canberra)

Keywords:vertical mixing, surface mixed layer

Many vertical mixing parameterizations exist for the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and they give widely different results. How well these parameterizations reproduce surface mixing is critical for both climate and military applications. Using meteorological and oceanographic data from the Southern Ocean Time Series mooring south of Australia, different mixing parameterizations in ROMS were evaluated for their ability to replicate the surface mixed layer environment. Three different vertical mixing parameterizations were investigated: Nakanishi-Niino, Mellor-Yamada 2.5 and the Large-McWilliams-Doney Kpp profile. Nakanishi-Niino performed the best for this application using the criteria of the surface mixed layer depth and the structure of the upper ocean temperatures. Additionally, a sensitivity study was performed to determine the best set of parameters to use.