Abyssal Circulation Driven By Near-Boundary Mixing: Water Mass Transformations and Interior Stratification

摘要: The emerging view of the abyssal circulation is that it associated with bottom-enhanced mixing, which results in downwelling stratified ocean interior and upwelling a bottom boundary layer along insulating sloping seafloor. In limit slowly varying vertical stratification topography, however, theory predicts these upslope downslope flows largely compensate, such net water mass transformations slope are vanishingly small. Using planetary geostrophic model resolves both dynamics large-scale overturning an idealized basin mixing midocean ridge, we show variations become sufficiently large at equilibrium to reduce degree compensation ridge flanks. resulting similar estimates for span extent ridge. These suggest generated by play crucial role setting global circulation, requiring revision theories.