Numerical investigation of algebraic oceanic turbulent mixing-layer models

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the finite-time and asymptotic behaviour of algebraic turbulent mixing-layer models by numerical simulation. We compare the performances given by three different settings of the eddy viscosity. We consider Richardson number-based vertical eddy viscosity models. Two of these are classical algebraic turbulence models usually used in numerical simulations of global oceanic circulation, i.e. the acanowski–Philander and the Gent models, while the other one is a more recent model (Bennis et al., 2010) proposed to prevent numerical instabilities generated by physically unstable configurations. The numerical schemes are based on the standard finite element method. We perform some numerical tests for relatively large deviations of realistic initial conditions provided by the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array. These initial conditions correspond to states close to mixing-layer profiles, measured on the Equatorial Pacific region called the West-Pacific Warm Pool. We conclude that mixing-layer profiles could be considered as kinds of “absorbing configurations” in finite time that asymptotically evolve to steady states under the application of negative surface energy fluxes.