Characterization of Internal Tide Incoherence: Eulerian versus Lagrangian Perspectives

Abstract The Lagrangian and Eulerian surface current signatures of a low-mode internal tide propagating through turbulent balanced flow are compared in idealized numerical simulations. total (i.e., coherent plus incoherent) tidal amplitudes found to be similar. Compared diagnostics, the signal is more incoherent with comparable or smaller incoherence time scales larger amplitudes. level data proposed result from deformation an induced by drifter displacements. Based on latter hypothesis, theoretical model successfully predicts autocovariances relating properties tides jet. These results have implications for separation signals sea collected future Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission.