Strain and symmetric instabilities in submesoscale fronts: effects on energetics

This project will examine the transfers of energy between spatial scales at oceanic fronts. The focus is to examine the effects of symmetric instabilities and interactions between the mesoscale and submesoscale. The investigators will employ high-resolution numerical modeling that can resolve both the submesoscale and the turbulence scale. The results are expected to lead to new understanding of oceanic frontal energetics and how to represent energy transfer processes in predictive models. This project focuses on two mechanisms that have been separately shown to influence the energetics of submesoscale fronts, but whose joint effects have not yet been investigated: mesoscale strain and symmetric instabilities. The goal is to examine how symmetric instabilities modify the forward cascade of energy in fronts in the presence of mesoscale strain. High-resolution, turbulence-resolving large-eddy simulations will be run with a novel configuration that permits representation of mesoscale strain, allowing for a more realistic representation of submesoscale fronts than previous investigations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.