Energy flux quantification in the oceanic internal wavefield

<p>The rate of diapycnal mixing, largely due to internal-wave breaking, is a key ingredient to understanding upwelling and horizontal circulation in the ocean. Here, we show a first-principles quantification of the downscale energy flux in the internal wavefield, that ultimately feeds the wave-breaking, shear-instability energy sink responsible for mixing. The approach is based on the wave kinetic equation that describes the inter-scale energy transfers via 3-wave nonlinear resonant interactions. Our results compare favorably with the phenomenological &#8216;Finescale Parameterization&#8217; formula, by which deep ocean mixing is commonly implemented in the global models, and provide novel insights in the complex problem of oceanic energy transfers.</p>