The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Selective topographic suppression and vertical structure of eddy buoyancy fluxes in three-layer retrograde QG flows
ID:154 Invited Oral Presentation

2027-01-13 08:30 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 38 - Oceanic (Sub)mesoscale Processes and Their Climate Impacts

Abstract
The turbulent eddy fluxes in three-layer retrograde quasi-geostrophic (QG) flows are investigated theoretically and numerically, with a focus on the joint impacts from an interior potential vorticity (PV) gradient and a bottom slope with isobaths aligned with the thermal shear. While a bottom slope overall suppresses geostrophic turbulence, this suppression is selective in the baroclinic modes. In a surface-intensified thermal shear, a bottom slope depletes (replenishes) turbulent energy in the first (second) baroclinic mode, alleviating its suppression effect on the second baroclinic mode. By contrast, in a bottom-intensified thermal shear, a bottom slope shunts turbulent energy from both baroclinic modes into the barotropic mode; yet by occupying a broader spectral range, the second baroclinic mode remains less suppressed. The resulting eddy buoyancy fluxes across a sloping bottom become more intensified towards the surface (bottom) in a surface-intensified (bottom-intensified) thermal shear than over a flat bottom. As the bottom steepens, up-gradient eddy buoyancy fluxes emerge on the near-bottom isopycnal interface in a surface-intensified thermal shear, consistent with the tendency of geostrophic turbulence to homogenise the bottom-layer PV imprinted by strong topography. This tendency is ultimately overwhelmed by strong bottom drag, inducing topographically insensitive down-gradient eddy buoyancy fluxes. Our theory and model solutions provide guidance to adapt an eddy closure of weakly-dissipated two-layer QG turbulence. The adapted closure theory adequately quantifies the strength and vertical structure of eddy fluxes in our three-layer retrograde QG flow simulations. This work offers insights into parameterising depth-dependent mesoscale eddy fluxes across sloping seafloor in climate models.
Speaker
Yan Wang The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Author
Yan Wang The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

      2026

      Session / Event proposals close
      (Extended to April 7)

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Session acceptance notifications

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions & registration open

    • Jun 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions close
      (Extended to July 21)

    • Aug 31

      2026

      Abstract acceptance notifications

    • Sep 15

      2026

      Scientific program released

    • Oct 15

      2026

      Early bird registration closes

    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027