Energy spectra of the ocean's internal wave field: theory and observations

Phys Rev Lett. 2004 Mar 26;92(12):128501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.128501. Epub 2004 Mar 24.

Abstract

The high-frequency limit of the Garrett and Munk spectrum of internal waves in the ocean and the observed deviations from it are shown to form a pattern consistent with the predictions of wave turbulence theory. In particular, the high-frequency limit of the Garrett and Munk spectrum constitutes an exact steady-state solution of the corresponding kinetic equation.