Can quadratic bottom drag balance most of the wind power input to the ocean general circulation?

The mechanical energy budget of the ocean is of fundamental importance in understanding of the ocean general circulation, including the power available to drive abyssal mixing that maintains the global meridional overturning circulation. We present updated measurements of the mechanical energy flux from the atmosphere to the surface geostrophic flow using a variety of wind stress and ocean circulation products, including remote sensing data of unprecedented accuracy. Also of critical importance, but much more difficult, are estimates of dissipation by a particular mechanism. We present a rough estimate of the rate of dissipation of geostrophic flow by quadratic bottom drag. Taking into account the strong spatial inhomogeneity, we find a surprisingly large rate of 0.6TW, in the same ball-park as the power source from surface winds.