Analysis of Turbulence Observed in the Florida Current using an ADCP

The observation of turbulence in the Florida Current is presented with the use of velocity measurements collected with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). The research is conducted through application of the theories of Taylor and Kolmogorov and related derivations, and processing tools of MATLAB software to this Eulerian observation of flow [1]. The velocity profile of the Florida Current is deduced in terms of its turbulent character with shear, acceleration, gradient, Reynolds Number, Reynolds Stress, Welch power spectrum density of current velocity, wavenumbers of Taylor’s hypothesis and Kolmogorov, wavenumber spectrum, eddy diameters, diapycnal diffusivity, and the Richardson Number. Processing methods are validated with results of other research conducted in the Florida Current with the use of a Multi-Scale Profiler, and an Advanced Microstructure Profiler for determination of shear, dissipation, diffusivity, and estimates of turbulent eddy diameters based on Taylor’s Hypothesis [1][4]. A spectral analysis is developed and is compared with Kolmogorov’s -5/3-Law. The process and the results of the analysis are described.