Vortical and wavy motions are two archetypal dynamical processes in the multiscale ocean. Vortical motions generally include large-scale circulations, mesoscale eddies and submesoscale currents while wavy motions mainly involve barotropic tides and internal gravity waves. The study of the multiscale interaction between vortical and wavy motions has been a hot topic but remains challenging. In this talk, we use the global ocean drifter data to focus on a relatively-overlooked aspect in previous studies of the eddy flux, namely the momentum flux caused by the vortical-wavy interaction. It is hoped that this study could help enhance the understanding and advance the parameterization of the multiscale interaction in the ocean.
 

multiscale