On the interpretation of short-period fluctuations in the thermocline obtained from a towed sensor [Acerca de la interpretación de las fluctuaciones de corto periodo de la termoclina obtenidas por medio de un sensor en movimiento]

Abstract

Aspects related to the interpretation of data from temperature oscillations in the thermocline obtained from a towed sensor are presented. A simple model of dispersion relation for linear internal waves with a decrease in energy in the spectrum, isotropic with regard to direction and uniform in frequency, shows that, at determined tow speeds of the sensor, a fictitious spectral density peak may appear in the frequency spectrum measured. The results of the study on the dependency of the spectral density in the internal wave spectra with respect to the tow speed of the sensor, the nature of the decrease in energy and wave number for specific hydrological conditions are also analyzed. How to avoid or decrease Doppler deformations in the spectra measured is discussed