Abstract

A recent class of ocean eddy parameterizations proposed by Porta Mana and Zanna (2014) and Anstey and Zanna (2017) modeled the large-scale flow as a non-Newtonian fluid whose subgridscale eddy stress is a nonlinear function of the deformation. This idea, while largely new to ocean modeling, has a... Show moreA recent class of ocean eddy parameterizations proposed by Porta Mana and Zanna (2014) and Anstey and Zanna (2017) modeled the large-scale flow as a non-Newtonian fluid whose subgridscale eddy stress is a nonlinear function of the deformation. This idea, while largely new to ocean modeling, has a history in turbulence modeling dating at least back to Rivlin (1957). The new class of parameterizations results in equations that resemble the Lagrangian-averaged Navier-Stokes-alpha model(LANS-alpha(,)e.g., Holm et al., 1998a). In this note we employ basic tensor mathematics to highlight the similarities between these turbulence models using component-free notation. We extend the Anstey and Zanna (2017) parameterization, which was originally presented in 2D, to 3D, and derive variants of this closure that arise when the full non-Newtonian stress tensor is used. Despite the mathematical similarities between the non-Newtonian and LANS-alpha models which might provide insight into numerical implementation, the input and dissipation of kinetic energy between these two turbulent models differ. Show less