A Simple System for Mapping Conductivity Microstructure

Abstract

A system for spatial mapping of the temperature variance dissipation rate ? based on conductivity micro-structure measurements from a towyo platform is described. The spatial response of the microconductivity probe is approximately that of a one-pole spatial filter with a ?3 dB wavenumber of 100 cycles m?1. The microconductivity system is used in conjunction with a CTD that maps the large-scale temperature, salinity and density fields along with gradient quantities such as the buoyancy frequency N. The primary use of the towyo microstructure system is the acquisition of high resolution synoptic maps of small-scale dissipative processes in relation to evolving larger scale oceanic flows.