DOLCEVITA

Hartmut Peters

The Office of Naval Research recently funded an extensive suite of observations in the Adriatic Sea. Part of this was the experiment "Dynamics of Localized Currents and Eddy Variability in the Adriatic" (DOLCEVITA).  Participants came from the USA, Italy, Croatia and Austria.  In close collaboration with Craig Lee of the Applied Physics Lab, University of Washington, I contributed a component of turbulence observations with focus on (a) measuring vertical velocities during wintertime convection in the northern Adriatic in January 2003 on the R/V "Knorr" and (b) on vertical mixing in current filaments in June 2003 on the Italian research vessel "Dallaporta."  The DOLCEVITA-1 cruise on the Knorr took place from 31-Jan-03 to 24-Feb. The cruise report gives a first impression of the observations. We wanted wind, bora events, and we got it. Winds speeds exceeded 45 knots at times, but sea states remained modest owing to short fetch. We directly observed convection and turbulence, and intriguing, energetic small-scale horizontal current variability including an extremely narrow front. Results: Peters and Orlić (2005), Peters et al. (2006).

 

  Microstructure profiling:  It was cold at the winch!

  Microstructure profiler SWAMP being deployed.

  The Bottom Lander being deployed; whitecaps made by the bora.