Role of nonlocal eddy-mean flow interactions in the redistribution of energy in the ocean

Nonlocality originates when the energy extracted from the mean flow in one region does not sustain the energy growth of eddies in that region (or vice versa) but is redistributed and consequently used to support the energy growth of eddies outside that region. Quantifying the nonlocality of the eddy-mean flow interactions is crucial for improving our understanding of how energy is redistributed from the surface, where it is inputted, to the interior where it is dissipated. Furthermore, the characterisation of nonlocality is crucial in understanding how eddy-mean flow interactions, which are the primary mechanism for generating kinetic energy of the mesoscale variability, take place. We use eddy-resolving simulations generated using the ICON-O Model, with a 0.1° global horizontal resolution, to explain the modality of eddy-mean flow interactions. We also highlight the relevancy of eddy-mean flow interactions in vertical energy redistribution, an aspect that was previously neglected; previous studies focused on horizontal energy redistribution.