Wind-induced internal wave dynamics near the Adriatic shelf break

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nenad Leder
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Wave Dynamics

Numerical Studies of Internal Wave Dynamics

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
George F. Carnevale ◽  
M. C. Hendershott
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Dynamics ◽  
Numerical Studies

On the irreversibility of internal-wave dynamics due to wave trapping by mean flow inhomogeneities. Part 1. Local analysis

1993 ◽  
Vol 251 ◽  
pp. 21-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei I. Badulin ◽  
Victor I. Shrira
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Field ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Local Analysis ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Wave Trapping ◽  
Wave Dynamics

The propagation of guided internal waves on non-uniform large-scale flows of arbitrary geometry is studied within the framework of linear inviscid theory in the WKB-approximation. Our study is based on a set of Hamiltonian ray equations, with the Hamiltonian being determined from the Taylor-Goldstein boundary-value problem for a stratified shear flow. Attention is focused on the fundamental fact that the generic smooth non-uniformities of the large-scale flow result in specific singularities of the Hamiltonian. Interpreting wave packets as particles with momenta equal to their wave vectors moving in a certain force field, one can consider these singularities as infinitely deep potential holes acting quite similarly to the ‘black holes’ of astrophysics. It is shown that the particles fall for infinitely long time, each into its own ‘black hole‘. In terms of a particular wave packet this falling implies infinite growth with time of the wavenumber and the amplitude, as well as wave motion focusing at a certain depth. For internal-wave-field dynamics this provides a robust mechanism of a very specific conservative and moreover Hamiltonian irreversibility.This phenomenon was previously studied for the simplest model of the flow non-uniformity, parallel shear flow (Badulin, Shrira & Tsimring 1985), where the term ‘trapping’ for it was introduced and the basic features were established. In the present paper we study the case of arbitrary flow geometry. Our main conclusion is that although the wave dynamics in the general case is incomparably more complicated, the phenomenon persists and retains its most fundamental features. Qualitatively new features appear as well, namely, the possibility of three-dimensional wave focusing and of ‘non-dispersive’ focusing. In terms of the particle analogy, the latter means that a certain group of particles fall into the same hole.These results indicate a robust tendency of the wave field towards an irreversible transformation into small spatial scales, due to the presence of large-scale flows and towards considerable wave energy concentration in narrow spatial zones.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL ACOUSTICS EFFECTS IN THE ASIAEX SCS EXPERIMENT

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUNG-SHENG CHIU ◽  
YUAN-YING CHANG ◽  
LI-WEN HSIEH ◽  
MEI-CHUN YUAN ◽  
CHI-FANG CHEN
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Internal Wave ◽  
South China ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Nonlinear Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Refraction ◽  
China Sea ◽  
3D Effects ◽  
Ocean Environment

A three-dimensional (3D) ocean environment is assimilated with measured ocean data in the ASIAEX SCS (Asian Seas International Acoustics EXperiment, South China Sea) experiment. The experiment site is characterized as an active internal wave propagation region along the Northwestern shelf break of the South China Sea. Three-dimensional acoustics effects in the area are studied using FOR3DW, a wide-angle version of the parabolic equation code FOR3D (a Finite difference solution, an Ordinary differential equation, and Rational function approximations for solving 3D problems), and MOS3DPEF (MOdal Spectrum analysis based on 3D PE Field). The TL comparison between Nx2D and 3D calculations are shown to demonstrate the 3D effects. Variations in topography of the shelf break and in the water column due to the internal waves cause the 3D effects in the acoustic field. The intercomparison of the importance of bottom steering 3D effects and nonlinear internal wave refraction 3D effects is therefore proposed to realize which possesses the major part of the 3D effects. Also, 3D modal analysis results show that the nonlinear internal wave front causes severe horizontal refraction for higher modes.

scholarly journals Internal Wave Reflection on Shelf Slopes with Depth-Varying Stratification

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob A. Hall ◽  
John M. Huthnance ◽  
Richard G. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Internal Tide ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Maximum Slope ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Shelf Slope ◽  
Linear Slope ◽  
Horizontal Wavelength

Abstract Reflection of internal waves from sloping topography is simple to predict for uniform stratification and linear slope gradients. However, depth-varying stratification presents the complication that regions of the slope may be subcritical and other regions supercritical. Here, a numerical model is used to simulate a mode-1, M2 internal tide approaching a shelf slope with both uniform and depth-varying stratifications. The fractions of incident internal wave energy reflected back offshore and transmitted onto the shelf are diagnosed by calculating the energy flux at the base of slope (with and without topography) and at the shelf break. For the stratifications/topographies considered in this study, the fraction of energy reflected for a given slope criticality is similar for both uniform and depth-varying stratifications. This suggests the fraction reflected is dependent only on maximum slope criticality and independent of the depth of the pycnocline. The majority of the reflected energy flux is in mode 1, with only minor contributions from higher modes due to topographic scattering. The fraction of energy transmitted is dependent on the depth-structure of the stratification and cannot be predicted from maximum slope criticality. If near-surface stratification is weak, transmitted internal waves may not reach the shelf break because of decreased horizontal wavelength and group velocity.

scholarly journals Intrinsic Nonlinearity and Spectral Structure of Internal Tides at an Idealized Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelf Break

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 2641-2660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weifeng G. Zhang ◽  
Timothy F. Duda
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Shelf Break ◽  
Internal Tides ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Spectral Structure ◽  
Strong Nonlinearity ◽  
Momentum Exchange ◽  
Baroclinic Energy Conversion

Abstract To quantify dynamical aspects of internal-tide generation at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf break, this study employs an idealized ocean model initialized by climatological summertime stratification and forced by monochromatic barotropic tidal currents at the offshore boundary. The Froude number of the scenario is subunity, and the bathymetric slope offshore of the shelf break is supercritical. A barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion rate of 335 W m−1 is found, with 14% of the energy locally dissipated through turbulence and bottom friction and 18% radiated onto the shelf. Consistent with prior studies, nonlinear effects result in additional super- and subharmonic internal waves at the shelf break. The subharmonic waves are subinertial, evanescent, and mostly trapped within a narrow beam of internal waves at the forcing frequency. They likely result from nonresonant triad interaction associated with strong nonlinearity. Strong vertical shear associated with the subharmonic waves tends to enhance local energy dissipation and turbulent momentum exchange (TME). A simulation with reduced tidal forcing shows an expected diminished level of harmonic energy. A quasi-linear simulation verifies the role of momentum advection in controlling the relative phases of internal tides and the efficiency of barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion. The local TME is tightly coupled with the internal-wave dynamics: for the chosen configuration, neglecting TME causes the internal-wave energy to be overestimated by 12%, and increasing it to high levels damps the waves on the continental shelf. This work implies a necessity to carefully consider nonlinearity and turbulent processes in the calculation of internal tidal waves generated at the shelf break.

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