When freshwater lakes fall below the temperature of maximum density, solar-driven radiative convection can become a major source of turbulent mixing. As the sun heats near-surface waters, the denser (warmer) waters sink rapidly throughout the water column, driving increased mixing and vertical transport. The current paper, co-authored by Dr. Cary Troy, Associate Professor in Purdue’s Lyles School of Civil Engineering and C4E Affiliate, highlights the importance of this mixing mechanism as observed during a 2-week experiment at a 55m deep site in a large, ice-free lake (Lake Michigan, USA).
July 10, 2019