Mixing is an important control on
how the oceans function; yet our understanding of ocean mixing is significantly
limited by a complex variability in mixing rates and processes and by a paucity
of mixing measurements. In the Arctic Ocean, the challenges are substantial:
measurements are extremely rare, and latitude, ice and stratification make
mixing dynamics unique. In this talk, I’ll discuss ways we are “filling in the
map” of Arctic Ocean mixing rates and understanding what sets its space-time
geography using data mining and underwater robots. I’ll also show results from
experiments with realistic ocean models to argue that this map has important
implications for our understanding of ocean functioning and our ability to make
robust predictions of future climate change.