Global Dynamics of the Stationary M2 Mode-1 Internal Tide

Samuel M. Kelly; Amy F. Waterhouse; Anna C. Savage

doi:10.1029/2020GL091692

Global Dynamics of the Stationary M₂ Mode-1 Internal Tide

Samuel M. Kelly, Amy F. Waterhouse, Anna C. Savage

Physics & Astronomy (Duluth)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

A reduced-physics model is employed at 1/25° to 1/100° global resolution to determine (a) if linear dynamics can reproduce the observed low-mode M₂ internal tide, (b) internal-tide sensitivity to bathymetry, stratification, surface tides, and dissipation parameterizations, and (c) the amount of power transferred to the nonstationary internal tide. The simulations predict 200 GW of mode-1 internal-tide generation, consistent with a general circulation model and semianalytical theory. Mode-1 energy is sensitive to damping, but a simulation using parameterizations for wave drag and wave-mean interaction predicts 84% of satellite observed sea-surface height amplitude variance on a 1° × 1° grid. The simulation energy balance indicates that 16% of stationary mode-1 energy is scattered to modes 2–4 and negligible energy propagates onto the shelves. The remaining 84% of energy is lost through parameterizations for high-mode scattering over rough topography (54%) and wave-mean interactions that transfer energy to the nonstationary internal tide (29%).

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2020GL091692
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	48
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091692
State	Published - Jun 16 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by NASA award NNX16AH75 G (Kelly) and National Science Foundation awards NSF‐OCE1434722 (Waterhouse, Savage) and NSF‐OCE1434352 (Kelly) Two reviewers provided detailed and insightful comments that greatly improved the manuscript. The authors are grateful for the opportunity to complete this work during a pandemic that has now tragically claimed 3M lives. During the pandemic, many scientists, especially female scientists, have faced an avalanche of challenges (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021 ).

Funding Information:
This work was supported by NASA award NNX16AH75?G (Kelly) and National Science Foundation awards NSF-OCE1434722 (Waterhouse, Savage) and NSF-OCE1434352 (Kelly) Two reviewers provided detailed and insightful comments that greatly improved the manuscript. The authors are grateful for the opportunity to complete this work during a pandemic that has now tragically claimed 3M lives. During the pandemic, many scientists, especially female scientists, have faced an avalanche of challenges (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,?2021).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. The Authors.

Keywords

internal tide
internal wave
physical oceanography
tide

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abstract = "A reduced-physics model is employed at 1/25° to 1/100° global resolution to determine (a) if linear dynamics can reproduce the observed low-mode M2 internal tide, (b) internal-tide sensitivity to bathymetry, stratification, surface tides, and dissipation parameterizations, and (c) the amount of power transferred to the nonstationary internal tide. The simulations predict 200 GW of mode-1 internal-tide generation, consistent with a general circulation model and semianalytical theory. Mode-1 energy is sensitive to damping, but a simulation using parameterizations for wave drag and wave-mean interaction predicts 84% of satellite observed sea-surface height amplitude variance on a 1° × 1° grid. The simulation energy balance indicates that 16% of stationary mode-1 energy is scattered to modes 2–4 and negligible energy propagates onto the shelves. The remaining 84% of energy is lost through parameterizations for high-mode scattering over rough topography (54%) and wave-mean interactions that transfer energy to the nonstationary internal tide (29%).",

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