Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3752
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3752
13 Aug 2025
 | 13 Aug 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).

Internal Tide loss of coherence in a realistic simulation of the North Atlantic

Adrien Bella, Noé Lahaye, and Gilles Tissot

Abstract. The loss of coherence of the semidiurnal internal tide is investigated using a high-resolution realistic numerical simulation over the North Atlantic. The analysis focuses on processes resulting from the interaction between the internal tide and the mesoscale background flow at time scales typically shorter than one month. To this end, a theoretical framework based on vertical mode decomposition and the splitting of the internal tide signal into coherent and incoherent components is developed and applied to the outputs of the numerical simulation. This framework enables the transfer terms between the coherent and incoherent parts, and between the different vertical modes — and therefore horizontal scales — of the internal tides to be evaluated. By focusing on three subdomains with contrasting dynamics, we demonstrate that coherent-to-incoherent energy transfers significantly impact the internal tide energy budget. These transfers are dominated by advection by slowly varying flows and mainly occur without changing the vertical mode of the internal tide involved. This is attributed to the dominance of the barotropic and first baroclinic modes in the mesoscale flow combined with the structure of the mesoscale flow/internal tide interaction terms. Typical energy transfer rates are of the order of a few tens of days in the Gulf Stream region and a few hundred days in the Azores for the mode 1 internal tide.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
Share
Adrien Bella, Noé Lahaye, and Gilles Tissot

Status: open (until 08 Oct 2025)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
Adrien Bella, Noé Lahaye, and Gilles Tissot
Adrien Bella, Noé Lahaye, and Gilles Tissot

Viewed

Total article views: 324 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
303 19 2 324 16 12
  • HTML: 303
  • PDF: 19
  • XML: 2
  • Total: 324
  • BibTeX: 16
  • EndNote: 12
Views and downloads (calculated since 13 Aug 2025)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 13 Aug 2025)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 323 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 323 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 05 Sep 2025
Download
Short summary
Internal tides are perturbations of the density and current in the ocean that are generated when the astronomical flows over the irregular bottom topography, and propagate in the stratified ocean under the form of waves. They then interact with other types of currents, which disturb their properties – phase and amplitude – and results in a loss of regularity, called incoherence. This paper investigates this mechanism using numerical simulations.
Share