AUV Turbulence Measurements in the LOCO Field Experiments
2008
Goodman, Louis
The long-term goal of this project is to quantify the role of turbulence and fine scale vertical shear and buoyancy on the formation, evolution, and breakdown of thin phytoplankton layers. Particular attention is given to understanding the relationship of the space and time statistics of the physical fields to that of the phytoplankton thin layers. (1) Quantify the horizontal and vertical structure of turbulence and identify the most probable mechanism of generation and maintenance. Particular attention will be given to the turbulent field arising from the internal wave train. Estimate the micro and fine scale parameters relating to thin layer studies: the turbulent dissipation rate, the buoyancy Reynolds number, the turbulent rms velocity, the turbulent eddy diffusivity, fine scale velocity shear, and fine scale stratification. (2) Examine the role of turbulence on the evolution of the spatial structure of thin phytoplankton layers. (3) Quantify the role of physical processes, such as turbulence mixing (diffusion), shear dispersion, and mean current advection on the temporal and spatial distribution and evolution of thin layers in the coastal ocean. The observational approach is to use the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, T-REMUS. T-REMUS is a custom designed REMUS 100 vehicle manufactured by Hydroid Inc., containing the Rockland Microstructure Measurement System (RMMS), an upward and downward looking 1.2 MHz ADCP, a FASTCAT Seabird CTD, and a WET Labs BB2F Combination Spectral Backscattering Meter/ Chlorophyll Fluormeter. In addition, the vehicle contains a variety of "hotel" sensors which measure pitch, roll, yaw, and other internal dynamical parameters.
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