Oceanic Vertical Mixing of the Lower Halocline Water in the Chukchi Borderland and Mendeleyev Ridge

Oceanic vertical mixing of the lower halocline water (LHW) in the Chukchi Borderland and Mendeleyev Ridge was studied based on in situ hydrographic and turbulent observations. The depth-averaged turbulent dissipation rate of LHW demonstrates a clear topographic dependence, with a mean value of 1.2×10−9 W/kg in the southwest of Canada Basin, 1.5×10−9 W/kg in the Mendeleyev Abyssal Plain, 2.4×10−9 W/kg on the Mendeleyev Ridge, and 2.7×10−9 W/kg on the Chukchi Cap. Correspondingly, the mean depth-averaged vertical heat flux of the LHW is 0.21 W/m2 in the southwest Canada Basin, 0.30 W/m2 in the Mendeleyev Abyssal Plain, 0.39 W/m2 on the Mendeleyev Ridge, and 0.46 W/m2 on the Chukchi Cap. However, in the presence of Pacific Winter Water, the upward heat released from Atlantic Water through the lower halocline can hardly contribute to the surface ocean. Further, the underlying mechanisms of diapycnal mixing in LHW—double diffusion and shear instability—was investigated. The mixing in LHW where double diffusion were observed is always relatively weaker, with corresponding dissipation rate ranging from 1.01×10−9 W/kg to 1.57×10−9 W/kg. The results also show a strong correlation between the depth-average dissipation rate and strain variance in the LHW, which indicates a close physical linkage between the turbulent mixing and internal wave activities. In addition, both surface wind forcing and semidiurnal tides significantly contribute to the turbulent mixing in the LHW.