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Abstract

The dynamics of the ocean mixed layer is of central importance in determining the fluxes of momentum, heat, gases, and particulates between the ocean and the atmosphere. A prominent component of mixed layer dynamics is the appearance of a spanwise ordered array of streamwise oriented roll/streak structures (RSS), referred to as Langmuir circulations, that form in the presence of surface wind stress. The coherence and long-range order of the Langmuir circulations are strongly suggestive of an underlying modal instability, and surface wind stress produces the necessary Eulerian shear to provide the required kinetic energy. Unfortunately, there is no instability with RSS form supported solely by Eulerian surface stress-driven shear. However, in the presence of velocity fluctuations in the water column, either in the form of a surface gravity wave velocity field and/or a background field of turbulence, there are two instabilities of the required form. These are the Craik-Leibovich CL2 instability arising from interaction of the Eulerian shear vorticity with the Stokes drift of a surface gravity wave velocity field and the Reynolds stress (RS) torque instability arising from the organization of turbulent Reynolds stresses by a perturbing RSS. The CL2 instability is familiar as an explanation for the RSS of the Langmuir circulation, while the RS torque instability is familiar as an explanation for the RSS in wall-bounded shear flows. In this work, we show that these instabilities act synergistically in the mixed layer of the ocean to form a comprehensive theory for both the formation and equilibration of Langmuir circulations.