Estimates of Ocean Mixing Coefficients

D. Stammer for the ECCO Consortium.

The global ECCO synthesis procedure is used to estimate horizontal
and vertical ocean mixing coefficients (viscosity and diffusivity)
that are consistent with WOCE data sets, the atmospheric forcing fields
and the model physics.  Those coefficients are estimated as time-constant
but geographically varying fields and are adjusted along with surface
momentum and buoyancy forcing so as to bring the model into consistency
with global data sets over the period 1992 through 2000.  Information 
is provided about the estimation procedure and and the resulting 
changes of the mixing coefficients is being described.
While the estimated coefficients lead to a reduced model drift, their 
physical interpretation in terms of eddy transfers is not always as 
expected.