Thomas Decloedt, Department of Oceanography

Thomas Decloedt

________________________________________________________________________

Graduate Student

Department of Oceanography
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawai`i at Manoa
1000 Pope Road
Marine Sciences Building
Honolulu, HI 96822

Phone: (808) 956-2418

E-mail:decloedt@hawaii.edu

________________________________________________________________________

Education

MSci 2001- Physics, Imperial College, London, UK
M.S. 2006 - Physical Oceanography, University of Hawai'i, USA
Ph.D. 2009 - Oceanography, University of Hawai'i, USA

________________________________________________________________________

Publications

Decloedt T. and D.S. Luther, 2009: On a Simple Empirical Parameterization of Topography-Catalyzed Diapycnal Mixing in the Abyssal Ocean. Journal of Physical Oceanography, Early Online Release. pdf

Decloedt T. and D.S. Luther: On the Power Consumed by Spatially-Varying Diapycnal Mixing in the Abyssal Ocean. In Preparation.

Decloedt T., 2009: On the Spatial Distribution of Diapycnal Mixing in the Abyssal Ocean: An Empirical Study. Ph. D. Dissertation. University of Hawaii at Manoa. pdf ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Research: The spatial distribution of diapycnal mixing in the abyssal ocean

It is now well recognized that small-scale, turbulent diapycnal mixing is unevenly distributed throughout the abyssal ocean. Observations indicate that mixing is weak in the deep ocean interior and bottom-intensified by orders of magnitude over regions of rough topography such as seamounts, canyons and ridges. This is in stark contrast to the spatially uniform mixing parameterizations generally employed in Ocean General Circulation Models (OGCMs). The spatial heterogeneity of diapycnal mixing has profound dynamical implications for the large-scale ocean circulation and raises questions about traditional ideas regarding the role of diapycnal mixing in maintaining the abyssal stratification as well as the relation of diapycnal mixing to the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). In spite of many decades of research on the subject, many fundamental questions remain open. These range from observational (measurements of oceanic turbulence remain difficult) to theoretical (e.g., What are the sources providing the mechanical energy required to power diapycnal mixing? How does the energy reach the small dissipative scales? What are the physical processes leading to turbulent mixing?). Under the guidance of Doug Luther, my thesis work has focused on the development of a simple, semi-empirical model for the global distribution of diapycnal mixing in the abyssal ocean based on the currently available microstructure observations and inverse model results. The model (Roughness Diffusivity Model or RDM) is a function only of height above bottom and topographic roughness and yields predictions consistent wih diffusivities inferred from inverse models. See above for a link to a pdf file of the manuscript

Matlab routines to compute topographic roughness and diffusivity are available upon request and will be posted here shortly.

________________________________________________________________________

Interesting mixing links:

________________________________________________________________________

Current favorite papers

These are a few papers that i have recently read and struck my interest. Any suggestions for related reading are welcome. I try to update these on a regular basis.

________________________________________________________________________

Recent Curriculum Vitae (pdf file)

________________________________________________________________________

Go to the Physical Oceanography Div., Dept. of Oceanography, or SOEST Home Page s.

________________________________________________________________________

Last modified: November 2009