Critical role for mesoscale eddy diffusion in supplying oxygen to hypoxic ocean waters

[1] Estimates of the oceanic lateral eddy diffusion coefficient Aredi vary by more than an order of magnitude, ranging from less than a few hundred m/s to thousands of m/s. This uncertainty has first-order implications for the intensity of oceanic hypoxia, which is poorly simulated by the current generation of Earth System Models. Using satellite-based estimate of oxygen consumption in hypoxic waters to estimate the required diffusion coefficient for these waters gives a value of order 1000 m/s. Varying Aredi across a suite of Earth System Models yields a broadly consistent result given a thermocline diapycnal diffusion coefficient of 1! 10"5 m/s. Citation: Gnanadesikan, A., D. Bianchi, and M.-A. Pradal (2013), Critical role for mesoscale eddy diffusion in supplying oxygen to hypoxic ocean waters, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, doi:10.1002/grl.50998.