TIDAL MIXING SIGNATURES IN THE INDONESIAN SEAS

Expressions of low-frequency tidal periods are found throughout the In donesian Seas' temperature field, supporting the hypothesis that verti cal mixing is enhanced within the Indonesian Seas by the tides. The th ermal signatures of tidal mixing vary mostly at the fortnightly and mo nthly tidal periods due to nonlinear dynamics redistributing tidal ene rgy into these periods. Away from the coasts, the largest tidal mixing signatures are observed in sea surface temperature within the Seram a nd Banda Seas. Most of the Indonesian Throughflow passes through the B anda Sea where strong vertical mixing modifies the thermocline by tran sferring surface heat and freshwater to deeper layers before the upper water column is exported to the Indian Ocean. Modulation of vertical eddy fluxes within the Indonesian Seas by fortnightly and monthly tide s may act to regulate ocean-atmosphere fluxes.