GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel
Wischhofstr. 1-3
24148 Kiel
Tel.: 0431 600-0
Fax: 0431 600-2805
E-mail: info(at)geomar.de
11:00 h, Hörsaal, Düsternbrooker Weg 20
Abstract:
This talk is a combination of the results of the Baltic Sea Tracer Release Experiment (BaTRE) and an eddy-resolving numerical simulation of the same experiment. The release experiment showed that boundary mixing processes dominate the basin scale mixing rates within the deeper Gotland Basin but to overcome the rather low tracer sampling rate of 6 months, the eddy-resolving numerical model of the central Baltic Sea was set up. The model is validated using the BaTRE dataset and is capable to reproduce the differences between internal and boundary mixing rates. The simulation results are analysed to confirm that the sub-inertial motions, which dominate the kinetic energy spectrum, are topographic waves with a distinct double-gyre structure. As a sensitivity study of the injection location, an ensemble of 20 passive tracer was released at locations slightly different from the original injection. Shortly after the injection the evolution of the ensemble members tracer patches differ strongly and depend on the injection location. After approximately 100 days the tracers are horizontally homogenized and the evolution of the ensemble members become very similar.