A Novel Cost-Effective Approach for Collecting Time-Series of Turbulence Properties in Aquatic Systems - Part I

Abstract This study examines the impact of winter Shamal events (strong northwesterly winds that commonly generate significant dust storms) on water column mixing and turbulence in the northern Arabian Gulf using a newly developed method for computing turbulence properties, specifically turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates ( $$\epsilon$$ ) and temperature variance dissipation rates ( $$\:{\chi\:}_{T}$$ ). Fast-response temperature sensors were employed during November 2023 to capture detailed time-series measurements during both Shamal and pre-Shamal periods. The results demonstrate that Shamal-induced turbulence significantly enhances air-sea exchanges of momentum and heat, driving intense wind-induced mixing and convective processes. These processes led to a sharp increase in $$\epsilon$$ and $$\:{\chi\:}_{T}$$ , particularly during the peak of the Shamal event, where $$\epsilon$$ values ranged from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁴ W/kg. Based on our results from comparison of turbulence parameters during periods of different physical forcings (wind stress and convection), we suggest that moored, affordable, fast-response temperature sensors can deliver time-series estimates of $$\epsilon$$ and $$\:{\chi\:}_{T}$$ with a higher degree of reliability, showing deviations of less than 18% compared to a benchmark turbulence profiler used to corroborate the newly developed method. This capability is particularly significant, as this study represents one of the first observational analysis of water column turbulence in response to Shamal events, offering valuable insights into the Gulf’s broader hydrodynamics. These findings enhance our understanding of Shamal-driven mixing processes and introduce an innovative method for measuring turbulence, with broader implications for the study of ocean mixing in coastal and semi-enclosed seas. Graphical Abstract