Spatial Variability of Diapycnal Mixing and Turbulent Dissipation Rates in a Stagnant Fjord Basin

Abstract

Two microstructure profilers, two ships, and four moorings with acoustic Doppler current profilers and conductivity?temperature loggers were used in an intensive effort to map the spatial and temporal variations of vertical mixing in the stagnant deep basin of Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. During three days in the beginning of August 2001 a continuous time series of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation profiles was obtained with one microstructure profiler at a fixed position near the deepest part of the fjord. During the same period the other microstructure profiler was used to obtain six sections of dissipation through the length of the basin. Two moorings were deployed in the fjord basin for one month from the end of July to the end of August. The mapping of dissipation rates reveals that the dissipation in the deep basin is confined to areas just inside the sill. More than 77% of the dissipation in the fjord basin happens above the sloping bottoms closest to the sill.