Scaling the Mixing Efficiency of Sediment‐Stratified Turbulence

The flux Richardson number Rf, also called the mixing efficiency of stratified turbulence, is important in determining geophysical flow phenomena such as ocean circulation and air-sea transports. Measuring Rf field usually difficult, thus parameterization based on readily observed properties essential. Here, estimates a strongly turbulent, sediment-stratified estuarine are obtained from measurements covariance-derived turbulent buoyancy fluxes (B) spectrally fitted values dissipation rate kinetic energy (ε). We test scalings for terms Reynolds (Reb), gradient (Ri), Froude (Frt). Neither Reb-based nor Ri-based scheme able to describe variations but Frt-based works well. These findings support further use Frt - oceanic environments.