Mode-12 MixMap: Multi-Investigator Map of ADCP Turbulence Observations

Summary

ADCPs are the standard instrument used by field engineers and scientists to monitor water velocities, with over 3000 units in use worldwide. Recent publications have developed and refined a methodology called the “variance method” for observing Reynolds stress and vertical mixing coefficients using ADCPs (Stacey et al., 1999; Lu and Lueck, 2000). An inexpensive ADCP high-speed sampling upgrade, RD Instruments "mode-12", enables the user to measure vertical mixing coefficients with a noise floor of ~5 x 10^-4 m² s^-1 in typical coastal tidal flows and lower in steady flows. The ADCP approach allows one to continuously collect vertical profiles of turbulence parameters for month- or season-long deployments, enabling researchers to study vertical mixing due to a range of processes such as tides, storms or internal waves.

Recent data collection sites for several research projects are shown here - color-coded links either take you to the data, or to contact information. For correspondence or to submit information for your ADCP turbulence deployment, contact webmaster Philip Orton.

Hudson River - at Kingston Hudson Estuary - N. Haverstraw Bay Hudson Estuary - Piermont Hudson Estuary - George Washington Bridge New York Bight - LATTE Delaware Bay mouth - DECADE

References

Stacey, M.T., Monismith, S.G., and Burau, J.R., 1999. Measurements of Reynolds stress profiles in unstratified tidal flow. Journal of Geophysical Research, 104 (C5): 10933-10949.

Lu, Y. and Lueck, R.G., 1999. Using a broadband ADCP in a tidal channel, part II: Turbulence. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 16: 1568-1579.