1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Study of Kuroshio Intrusion and Transport using Moorings and EM-APEX Floats in QPEU Experiment

Our long-term scientific goals are to understand the dynamics and identify mechanisms of small-scale processes in the ocean with the objective of developing improved parameterizations of mixing for ocean models. Internal tides, inertial waves, nonlinear internal waves (NLIWs), and turbulence mixing are all key components to understanding mixing within the stratified ocean. Each of these factors can lead to uncertainty within current ocean models due to their complex interplay. This study focuses primarily on small-scale processes, internal tides, and also key circulation features including cold dome events localized at the continental slope of the East China Sea (ECS) and intrusions generated as the Kuroshio and barotropic tides interact with the continental shelf of the ECS. These small-scale processes and circulation features modulate the temporal, horizontal, and vertical spatial structures of the water properties of the ocean. These processes may significantly modify acoustic properties and thus introduce uncertainty into sonar performance and acoustic propagation models. Our ultimate goal is to collaborate with acousticians to identify oceanic processes that alter acoustic properties. A detailed understanding of these properties, mechanism, and dynamics will aid in quantification and assessment of uncertainty in acoustic prediction. OBJECTIVE