Penetration depth of diapycnal mixing generated by wind stress and flow over topography in the northwestern <scp>P</scp>acific

Abstract

Abstract The role of turbulent diapycnal mixing in the northwestern Pacific was estimated by employing a fine‐scale parameterization method based on 6756 high‐resolution CTD profiles spanning a period of 8 years from the Japan Oceanography Data Center (JODC) and the Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS). The rate of turbulent mixing in the upper ocean within 300–1800 m depth displayed a distinct seasonal cycle, bearing a statistically significant correlation to wind‐induced near‐inertial energy flux (hereafter denoted by WNEF). Enhanced turbulent mixing was also found near the rough seafloor relative to that over smooth topography. Enhanced dissipation at surface and bottom was found to be able to penetrate the ocean interior up to 1800 m and 3300 m, respectively, with penetration depths varying with the WNEF and topographic roughness. Our study here provides evidence for the important role of near‐inertial energy input from wind stress and the influence of bottom topography in maintaining mixing in the ocean interior.