COMCEPTS

We will investigate how ocean mixing can be generated by a diverse range of processes across the California Continental Margin. This proposal aims to support the student-led ocean mixing summer school at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) taking place in August/September 2025 under the guidance of Prof. Jennifer MacKinnon. Our goal is to address the science and assumptions behind turbulence measurements, with a practical at-sea component so participants can learn to collect and analyse data with a critical eye. We aim to understand how different sources of mixing affect the region around the Point Loma Wastwater Treatmant Plant, which is a source of public health concern for the Southern California Bight. Our experiment targets this problem to educate the summer school participants on the intersections between turbulence theory and observational measurements.We will use our local San Diego area to answer questions about the shelf and its impacts on waves, wind and mixing. Specific science questions include: How do internal waves drive mixing across the shelf? What are the relative roles of wind, buoyancy forcing and Langmuir circulation in driving turbulence in the boundary layer? How does the amount of turbulence affect the equilibrium depth and thickness of the wastewater plume?