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with the measurements. One and a half times higher waves at Papa did not produce a
deeper mixed layer because the excessive height was compensated by a more rapid depth
attenuation of the wave motion, due to the higher peak frequencies.
To investigate these agreements further, we conducted calculations for a transect across
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in April at the 30 N latitude which provides a significant
variety of wave conditions ( Figure 7.22 b and c). Wave climatology was taken from Young
& Holland ( 1996 ), and MLD climatology from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
site http://www7320.nrlssc.navy.mil/nmld/nmld.html. The latter was
“constructed from the 1 monthly-mean temperature and salinity climatologies of the World Ocean
Atlas 1994 ( Levitus & Boyer , 1994 ; Levitus et al. , 1994 ) using a method for determining layer depth
that can accommodate the wide variety of temperature and density profiles that occur within the
global ocean.”
Figure 7.22 (a) World map. The transect latitude 30 N is shown with a solid line. (b) Mean April
significant wave height H s along the 30 N latitude. (c) Mean April peak frequency f p along the
30 N latitude. (d) Reynolds-number-based estimate of MLD (solid line) and NRL estimate of MLD
(dashed line) along the 30 N latitude. Figure is reproduced from Babanin ( 2006 ) by permission of
American Geophysical Union
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