Effect of Baroclinic Instability on Entrainment and Mixing Processes in the Density Current Descending a Slope

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23540509
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Meteorology/Physical oceanography/Hydrology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KIYOSHI Tanaka 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 准教授 (20345060)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 海洋物理学 / 大陸棚斜面 / 傾圧不安定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Effect of baroclinic instability on entrainment and mixing processes in the density current descending a sloping bottom was investigated using a three-dimensional, non-hydrostatic numerical model. The particle tracking was performed in the numerical model, in which a large amount of the labeled particles were deployed. After being entrained into the baroclinic eddies, the particles go up and down repeatedly and as a result they descend the slope.
Moreover, the experimental results were applied to the bottom water formation in the Sea of Japan. The entrainment and mixing processes play very important roles in the bottom water formation in the Sea of Japan, where the dense shelf water descends the continental slope, entraining ambient sea waters, to form the bottom water.

Free Research Field

海洋物理学