Ocean mixed layer dynamics: from physics to climate models and back again

Climate simulations and future climate change projections are notoriously sensitive to unresolved physics involving complex air-sea interactions. This is particularly important in the ocean mixed layer, where small-scale mixing and turbulence modulate the transfer of properties – such as heat, momentum, and carbon – between the atmosphere and ocean interior. The most relevant phenomena are known as submesoscales and boundary layer turbulence, which produce fluxes on scales much smaller than the grid used in climate models, even at the highest possible resolution. In this talk, I will present my work towards a comprehensive understanding of multi-scale turbulent interactions in the ocean mixed layer. I will discuss insights learned from a combination of theory, numerical models, and data driven methods, in an attempt to isolate individual processes and improve their unresolved physical effects in climate models.

About this Series: The Department Lecture Series at EAPS at MIT is a series of weekly talks given by leading thinkers in the areas of geology, geophysics, geobiology, geochemistry, atmospheric science, oceanography, climatology, and planetary science. For more information please contact Madelyn Musick: mmusick@mit.edu