Doble difusión y cizalla vertical en frentes termohalinos

Abstract

Double diffusion process in thermohaline fronts have been usually studied as the main diapycnal mixing mechanism. In this work we have studied double diffusion and vertical shear instabilities in the Cape Verde Frontal System in arder to know that mechanism dominates in different parts of the front. We have obtained maxima values of vertical diffusivities on 10-4 m2 s-1 due to double diffusion process no necessarily associated to the front. in the case of diapycnal diffusivities due to vertical shear instabilities, we have observed maxima values on 10-3 m2s-1 alone in the frontal thermohaline system and associated to intrusions between central waters. We conclude that both process: double diffusion and vertical shear are important in the processes of diapycnal mixing in thermohaline fronts.