General Description While ocean waves are the most visible example of oceanic processes, they represent but one part of a wide spectrum of small scale processes operating in the ocean. Turbulent mixing is another part of this spectrum and affects many aspects of the upper ocean such as its biological primary productivity and air-sea exchange of heat. The former is of paramount importance to the productivity of the oceans (fisheries) and the latter controls large scale climate phenomena such as ENSO events and monsoons. This book grew out of the need for a comprehensive treatment of the diverse aspects of geophysical fluid flows at the microscale. Kantha and Clayson have arranged a logial exposition of the various small scale processes operating within and between the oceans and its boundaries with the atmosphere and ocean floor. The authors' intent is to develop a volume that would provide a comprehensive treatment of the fundamental elements of ocean mixing and other small scale processes such as surface and internal gravity waves so that students, academics, and professional fluid dynamicists and oceanographers can access this essential information from one source. This volume will serve as both a textbook and a valuable reference tool for limnologists, oceanographers, atmospheric scientists and fluid flow modelers. KEY FEATURES Oceanic and atmospheric boundary layers are discussed. Turbulent mixing, surface and internal gravity waves are dealt with. Comprehensive and up-to-date review Useful for graduate level course Essential for modeling the oceans and the atmosphere Reviews ...well-organized, comprehensive, and up-to-date...a good addition to libraries' collections...appropriate for graduate level courses in fluid dynamics. --Applied Mechanics Reviews, Volume 54 (1), Jan 2001 ...the authors have done an exhaustive job of reviewing the important developments in the field...a valuable service to the community...I expect this text to be the starting point for many researchers... --Physics Today 75, October 2001 CONTENTS: Foreword (by Walter Munk)Preface List of AcronymsPrologueTurbulenceOceanic Mixed LayerAtmospheric Boundary LayerSurface Exchange ProcessesSurface WavesInternal WavesDouble-Diffusive ProcessesLakes and ReservoirsAppendices (A,B,C,D)ReferencesIndex