# title
Role of Near-Inertial Internal Waves in Subthermocline Diapycnal Mixing in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

# abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Moored ADCP data collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico are analyzed to examine near-inertial internal waves and their contribution to subthermocline diapycnal mixing based on a finescale parameterization of deep ocean mixing. The focus of the study is on the impact of near-inertial internal waves generated by an extreme weather eventthat is, Hurricane Katrinaand by month-to-month variation in weather patterns on the diapycnal mixing. The inferred subthermocline diapycnal mixing exhibits pronounced elevation in the wake of Katrina. Both the increased near-inertial (0.81.8<jats:italic>f</jats:italic>, where <jats:italic>f</jats:italic> is the Coriolis frequency) and superinertial (>1.8<jats:italic>f</jats:italic>) shear variances contribute to the elevated diapycnal mixing, but the former plays a more dominant role. The intense wind work on near-inertial motions by the hurricane is largely responsible for the energetic near-inertial shear variance. Energy transfer from near-inertial to superinertial internal waves, however, appears to play an important role in elevating the superinertial shear variance. The inferred subthermocline diapycnal mixing in the region also exhibits significant month-to-month variation with the estimated diffusivity in January 2006 about 3 times the values in November and December 2005. The subseasonal change in the diapycnal mixing mainly results from the subseasonal variation of the near-inertial wind work that causes intensification of the near-inertial shear in January 2006.</jats:p>

# authors[].organizations[].label
Geochemical and Environmental Research Group

# authorList[]
Jing, Z., Chang, P., DiMarco, S. F., & Wu, L.