Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

TheProfessorO t1_is2x0b0 wrote

Reply to comment by Chlorophilia in Does the salinity of ocean water increase as depth increases? by rhinotomus

Eddy flow over the bottom produces larger vertical velocities than the mean wind driven upwelling

3

Chlorophilia t1_is2ym6p wrote

Eddy velocities are by definition zero in the Eulerian time-mean, so that in itself isn't going to result in a time-mean vertical transport. Eddies in the Southern Ocean actually counteract Ekman suction but I'm not sure on what basis you're arguing that eddies are responsible for most upwelling in the Southern Ocean? Can you provide a study supporting this?

1

TheProfessorO t1_is38c7h wrote

I was not talking about any ocean in particular. The eddy vertical velocity is proportional to the eddy horizontal velocity dotted with the topographic gradient. So the average eddy vertical velocity can be nonzero when the mean eddy horizontal velocity is zero. The importance of this term for mesoscale ocean dynamics was shown by Tom Rossby and a student in the late 80s.

1