The double-diffusive modon
Loading...
Files
Authors
Radko, Timour
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
2008
Date
Publisher
Language
Abstract
Fully developed two-dimensional salt-finger convection is characterized by the
appearance of coherent dipolar eddies which carry relatively fresh and cold fluid
upward and salty and warm fluid downward. Such structures – the double-diffusive
modons – are prevalent in the regime in which density stratification is close to neutral
and the salt-finger instability is extremely vigorous. The structure and translation
velocities of modons are discussed in terms of the asymptotic expansion in which
the background density ratio approaches unity. It is argued that the vertical salt flux
is driven primarily by double-diffusive modons, which makes it possible to derive
explicit expressions for the mixing rates of temperature and salinity as a function of
their background gradients. Predictions of the proposed mixing model are successfully
tested by direct numerical simulations.
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0022112008002127
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
J. Fluid Mech. (2008), vol. 609, pp. 59–85.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.