The Energetics of Centrifugal Instability

Abstract

Abstract It has been shown recently that the California Undercurrent (CUC), and possibly poleward eastern boundary currents in general, generate mixing events through centrifugal instability (CI). Conditions favorable for CI are created by the strong horizontal shears developed in turbulent bottom layers of currents flowing in the direction of topographic waves. At points of abrupt topographic change, like promontories and capes, the coastal current separates from the boundary and injects gravitationally stable but dynamically unstable flow into the interior. The resulting finite-amplitude development of the instability involves overturnings and diabatic mixing. The purpose of this study is to examine the energetics of CI in order to characterize it as has been done for other instabilities and develop a framework in which to estimate its regional and global impacts. This study argues that CI is very efficient at mixing and possibly approaches what is thought to be the maximum efficiency for turbulent flows. The authors estimate that 10% of the initial energy in a CUC-like current is lost to either local mixing or the generation of unbalanced flows. The latter probably leads to nonlocal mixing. Thus, centrifugal instability is an effective process by which energy is lost from the balanced flow and spent in mixing neighboring water masses. The mixing is regionally important but of less global significance given its regional specificity.