Turbulent Ocean

The subject of ocean turbulence is in a state of discovery and development with many intellectual challenges. This book describes the principal dynamic processes that control the distribution of turbulence, its dissipation of kinetic energy and its effects on the dispersion of properties such as heat, salinity, and dissolved or suspended matter in the deep ocean, the shallow coastal and the continental shelf seas. It focuses on the measurement of turbulence, and the consequences of turbulent motion in the oceanic boundary layers at the sea surface and near the seabed. Processes are illustrated by examples of laboratory experiments and field observations. The Turbulent Ocean provides an excellent resource for senior undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as an introduction and general overview for researchers. It will be of interest to all those involved in the study of fluid motion, in particular geophysical fluid mechanics, meteorology and the dynamics of lakes.

'It deals with an immense collection of processes operating on different scales and driven by different mechanisms, many of which are not yet completely understood … Thorpe's book is a gem of this sort. It is skillfully written and well-illustrated handbook that will help anyone to get an introduction to a particular phenomenon … I've enjoyed reading this book, and I highly recommend it as a very useful introduction to turbulent phenomena found in the ocean.' Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 'I found this book very interesting to read, and informative on various aspects of ocean turbulence that I was less familiar with. … Overall, the book is a welcome addition to my shelves of oceanographic texts and will be dipped into regularly. I think that this book is a well-written and well-illustrated overview of turbulent processes in the ocean, and worth buying if you are working in, or starting research in, any area of oceanography where turbulence is important.' Meric Srokosz, Ocean Challenge

Stephen Thorpe is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Southampton and an Honorary Professor at the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor.