Internal hydraulic transition and turbulent mixing observed in the Kuroshio over the I-Lan Ridge off northeastern Taiwan

Abstract Complex small-scale processes and energetic turbulence are observed at a sill located on the I-Lan Ridge that spans across the strong Kuroshio off Taiwan. The current speed above the sill is strong (1.5 m s−1) and unsteady (±0.5 m s−1) due to the Kuroshio modulated by the semidiurnal tide. Above the sill crest, isothermal domes, with vertical scales of ∼20 m and ∼50 m during the low and high tides, respectively, are generated by turbulent mixing as a result of shear instability in the bottom boundary layer. Tidally modulated hydraulic character modifies the small-scale processes occurring on the leeward side of the sill. Criticality analysis, performed by solving the Taylor-Goldstein equation, suggests that the observed lee waves and intermediate layer sandwiched by two free shear layers are related to the mode-1 and mode-2 critical control between the sill crest and immediate lee, respectively. Around high tide, lee waves are advected further downstream, and only mode-1 critical control can occur, leading to a warm water depression. The shear instabilities ensuing from the hydraulic transition processes continuously mediate flow kinetic energy to turbulence such that the status of marginal instability where Richardson number converges at approximately 0.25 is reached. The resultant eddy diffusivity Kp is concentrated at O(10−4) to O(10−3) m2 s−1 and has a maximum value of 10 m2 s−1. The sill on the western flank of the Kuroshio is a hot spot for energetic mixing of Kuroshio waters and South China Sea waters.