Effects of Strait Mixing on Ocean Stratification

Abstract

The density distribution in the abyssal Atlantic Ocean suggests that mixing associated with overflows across deep sills may account for substantial amounts of deep mixing. Estimates of the strait mixing are made from published estimates of the overflows and the difference between Antarctic Bottom Water densities across the Vema Channel and the Romanche Fracture Zone to demonstrate that the strait mixing is an order of magnitude larger than the abyssal mixing estimated for a standard diffusivity of 1 ? 10?4 m2 s?1.