Parametric subharmonic instability of the internal tide at 29°N

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Date
2013-01
Authors
MacKinnon, Jennifer A.
Alford, Matthew H.
Sun, Oliver M. T.
Pinkel, Robert
Zhao, Zhongxiang
Klymak, Jody M.
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DOI
10.1175/JPO-D-11-0108.1
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Keywords
Diapycnal mixing
Internal waves
Nonlinear dynamics
Abstract
Observational evidence is presented for transfer of energy from the internal tide to near-inertial motions near 29°N in the Pacific Ocean. The transfer is accomplished via parametric subharmonic instability (PSI), which involves interaction between a primary wave (the internal tide in this case) and two smaller-scale waves of nearly half the frequency. The internal tide at this location is a complex superposition of a low-mode waves propagating north from Hawaii and higher-mode waves generated at local seamounts, making application of PSI theory challenging. Nevertheless, a statistically significant phase locking is documented between the internal tide and upward- and downward-propagating near-inertial waves. The phase between those three waves is consistent with that expected from PSI theory. Calculated energy transfer rates from the tide to near-inertial motions are modest, consistent with local dissipation rate estimates. The conclusion is that while PSI does befall the tide near a critical latitude of 29°N, it does not do so catastrophically.
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Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2013. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Physical Oceanography 43 (2013): 17–28, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-11-0108.1.
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Journal of Physical Oceanography 43 (2013): 17–28
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