Small-Scale Physics and Turbulence
An ocean glider before diving. -Image: Raimo Koptezky/Hereon-
Heat, carbon and energy are constantly exchanged between the atmosphere and the ocean, or between various water masses in the sea. To forecast changes in coastal waters and to properly manage coastal resources, it is important to understand these fluxes and the transport of heat, carbon and energy. Because these transports and fluxes in the ocean and coastal seas are often driven by the smallest turbulent motions, our “Small-scale Physics and Turbulence” department endeavors to measure, understand, model and parameterize these turbulent motions. This is a prerequisite for describing and predicting transports and flows more accurately in the future. Ultimately, this makes it possible to plan coastal resource utilization more intelligently, to make coastal communities more resilient and to better predict coastal change.