Abstract 



Past eddy diffusion measurements have suggested that turbulent 

 velocity fluctuations occur in the deep ocean. An attempt has been 

 made to determine the magnitude and scale of the fluctuations from 

 estimates of shear velocities in the stably stratified ocean. The rate 

 at which the kinetic energy of these fluctuations is converted into 

 heat by viscosity is compared with an estimate of the rate at which 

 kinetic energy is supplied to the water by forces acting on the boundaries 

 of the ocean. 



The primary purpose of this report is to obtain an order of 

 magnitude estimate of turbulent fluctuations which would be useful in 

 designing experiments for turbulence measurements at sea. It is shown 

 that vertical velocity fluctuations of less than 0.2 cm sec can be 

 expected in the deep ocean and that characteristic fluctuating vertical 

 displacements would be about 50 cm . Corresponding magnitudes for the 

 horizontal fluctuations are 2 cm sec" and 5 km , 



