Large eddy simulation of surface layer mixing in the Saint Lawrence Estuary

This project aims to simulate vertical and horizontal flow dispersal at small scales, for application to modelling material dispersion in the Saint Lawrence Estuary. The project is motivated by the following research questions:

• What physical mechanisms determined dispersion in the St. Lawrence during the TReX surface experiments?

• How well can the sub-grid processes responsible for turbulent mixing in the OSBL be simulated with an LES model, in comparison to observed dispersion and mixing during the TReX field experiments?

• Can horizontal and vertical eddy viscosities and diffusivities derived from the LES model be used to improve regional ocean models or prognostic drift models?