The Rate of Dissipation of Turbulent Energy in the Upper Layer of the Ocean

Abstract

Based on empirical data for the upper layer of the ocean, estimates of the rate of turbulent energy dissipation ? are obtained. The calculations of ? were made in four ways. The slope of the spectra E1(&epsi) of fluctuations of ?? determines the universal constant of the refined theory of the locally isotropic turbulence u=0.56±0.11. The large departure from normality of the ? distributions indicates the strong intermittency of the small-scale fluctuations of the current velocity. Using the slopes of the high-order structure functions Dp(r)=?|u(x+r)?u(x|P?, P=1,2,?,8, the universal constants up characterizing the momenta of the rate of the dissipation of turbulent energy ?r, averaged over the sphere with a radius r/2 are determined.