@article{fdi:010081504,
  title = {{S}kills and limitations of the adiabatic omega equation : how effective is it to retrieve oceanic vertical circulation at mesoscale and submesoscale ?},
  author = {{P}ietri, {A}. and {C}apet, {X}. and {D}'{O}vidio, {F}. and {L}evy, {M}arina and {L}e {S}ommer, {J}. and {M}olines, {J}. {M}. and {G}iordani, {H}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he quasigeostrophic and the generalized omega equations are the most widely used methods to reconstruct vertical velocity w from in situ data. {A}s observational networks with much higher spatial and temporal resolutions are being designed, the question arises of identifying the approximations and scales at which an accurate estimation of w through the omega equation can be achieved and what critical scales and observables are needed. {I}n this paper we test different adiabatic omega reconstructions of w over several regions representative of main oceanic regimes of the global ocean in a fully eddy-resolving numerical simulation with a 1/60 degrees horizontal resolution. {W}e find that the best reconstructions are observed in conditions characterized by energetic turbulence and/or weak stratification where near-surface frontal processes are felt deep into the ocean interior. {T}he quasigeostrophic omega equation gives satisfactory results for scales larger than similar to 10 km horizontally while the improvements using a generalized formulation are substantial only in conditions where frontal turbulent processes are important (providing improvements with satisfactory reconstruction skill down to similar to 5 km in scale). {T}he main sources of uncertainties that could be identified are related to processes responsible for ocean thermal wind imbalance ({TWI}), which is particularly difficult to account for (especially in observation-based studies) and to the deep flow that is generally improperly accounted for in omega reconstructions through the bottom boundary condition. {N}evertheless, the reconstruction of mesoscale vertical velocities may be sufficient to estimate vertical fluxes of oceanic properties in many cases of practical interest.},
  keywords = {{A}geostrophic circulations ; {F}luxes ; {M}esoscale processes ; {V}ertical motion},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {P}hysical {O}ceanography},
  volume = {51},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {931--954},
  ISSN = {0022-3670},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.1175/jpo-d-20-0052.1},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081504},
}