Laboratory measurements of the generation and evolution of Langmuir circulations

1998 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 31-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. KENDALL MELVILLE ◽  
ROBERT SHEAR ◽  
FABRICE VERON
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Wind Waves ◽  
Turbulent Transport ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Langmuir Circulation ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Surface Shear ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Langmuir Circulations

We present laboratory measurements of the generation and evolution of Langmuir circulations as an instability of a wind-driven surface shear layer. The shear layer, which is generated by an accelerating wind starting from rest above a quiescent water surface, both accelerates and deepens monotonically until the inception of the Langmuir circulations. The Langmuir circulations closely follow the initial growth of the wind waves and rapidly lead to vertical mixing of the horizontal momentum and a deceleration of the surface layer. Prior to the appearance of the Langmuir circulations, the depth of the shear layer scales with (vt)1/2 (v is the kinematic viscosity and t is time), in accordance with molecular rather than turbulent transport. For final wind speeds in the range 3 to 5 m s−1, the wavenumber of the most unstable Langmuir circulation normalized by the surface wavenumber, k*lc, is 0.68±0.24, at a reciprocal Langmuir number, La−1, of 52±21. The observations are compared with available theoretical results, although none are directly applicable to the conditions of the experiments. The implications of this work for the generation and evolution of Langmuir circulations in the ocean and other natural water bodies are discussed.

Langmuir circulation due to shear flow over wavy topography

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas H Akselsen ◽  
Andreas Brostrøm ◽  
Simen Ådnøy Ellingsen
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Surface Waves ◽  
Boundary Layer Flow ◽  
General Procedure ◽  
Bottom Topography ◽  
Langmuir Circulation ◽  
Surface Shear ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Langmuir Circulations ◽  
Layer Flow

<p>Langmuir circulations (LC) in their traditional form are large rolling fluid flow pattern created by the interplay of surface waves and a near-surface shear current, typically both created by the wind. A celebrated theory by Craik and Leibovich (1976) describes two kinematic mechanisms which cause instabilities which grow into Langmuir rolls, both involving only the shear of the flow and the kinematic driving of flow undulations by a wavy surface, but containing no direct reference to the wind as a driving force. The same kinematic processes are present also in boundary layer flow over a wavy bottom topography in almost perfect analogy.</p><p>We present a theory of Langmuir-like circulations created by boundary layer flow over a topography in the form of a regular pattern of two monochromatic waves crossing at an oblique angle. Thus, the Craik-Leibovich instability sometimes referred to as CL1 is triggered and the close analogy with surface waves allows us to follow the general procedure of Craik (1970).</p><p>A flow of arbitrary shear profile is assumed over the bottom topography. In the opposite limits of transient inviscid flow and steady-state viscous flow simple equations for the stream function in cross-current plane can be derived and easily solved numerically. For the special case of a power-law velocity profile, explicit leading-order solutions are available. This allows us to quickly map out the circulation response to different parameters: wavelength, crossing angle and wave amplitude. The study is supplemented with direct numerical simulations which verify the manifestation of Langmuir-like circulations over wavy geometries with a no-slip boundary condition.</p><p><strong>References<br></strong>Craik, A.D.D., A wave-interaction model for the generation of windrows. J. Fluid Mech. (1970) <strong>41</strong>, 801-821.<br>Craik, A.D.D. & Leibovich, S. A rational model for Langmuir circulations. J. Fluid Mech. (1976) <strong>73</strong>, 401-426.</p>

Laboratory measurements of an equilibrium-range constant for wind waves at extremely high wind speeds

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naohisa Takagaki ◽  
Keita Takane ◽  
Hiroshige Kumamaru ◽  
Naoya Suzuki ◽  
Satoru Komori
Keyword(s):  
Wind Waves ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
High Wind ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Equilibrium Range

Dual-position excitation technique in flow control over an airfoil at low speeds

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 4141-4154
Author(s):  
Abbas Ebrahimi ◽  
Majid Hajipour ◽  
Kamran Ghamkhar
Keyword(s):  
Flow Control ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Shear Layers ◽  
Control Flow ◽  
Plasma Actuators ◽  
Dbd Plasma ◽  
Surface Shear ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to control flow separation over a NACA 4415 airfoil by applying unsteady forces to the separated shear layers using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators. This novel flow control method is studied under conditions which the airfoil angle of attack is 18°, and Reynolds number based on chord length is 5.5 × 105.Design/methodology/approachLarge eddy simulation of the turbulent flow is used to capture vortical structures through the airfoil wake. Power spectral density analysis of the baseline flow indicates dominant natural frequencies associated with “shear layer mode” and “wake mode.” The wake mode frequency is used simultaneously to excite separated shear layers at both the upper surface and the trailing edge of the airfoil (dual-position excitation), and it is also used singly to excite the upper surface shear layer (single-position excitation).FindingsBased on the results, actuations manipulate the shear layers instabilities and change the wake patterns considerably. It is revealed that in the single-position excitation case, the vortices shed from the upper surface shear layer are more coherent than the dual-position excitation case. The maximum value of lift coefficient and lift-to-drag ratio is achieved, respectively, by single-position excitation as well as dual-position excitation.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the understanding and progress of DBD plasma actuators for flow control applications. Further, this research could be a beneficial solution for the promising design of advanced low speed flying vehicles.

scholarly journals Loop-Type Wave-Generation Method for Generating Wind Waves under Long-Fetch Conditions

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 2129-2139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naohisa Takagaki ◽  
Satoru Komori ◽  
Mizuki Ishida ◽  
Koji Iwano ◽  
Ryoichi Kurose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Wave ◽  
Wind Waves ◽  
Peak Frequency ◽  
Wave Generation ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Wave Tank ◽  
Irregular Wave ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Type Wave ◽  
Wave Generator

AbstractIt is important to develop a wave-generation method for extending the fetch in laboratory experiments, because previous laboratory studies were limited to the fetch shorter than several dozen meters. A new wave-generation method is proposed for generating wind waves under long-fetch conditions in a wind-wave tank, using a programmable irregular-wave generator. This new method is named a loop-type wave-generation method (LTWGM), because the waves with wave characteristics close to the wind waves measured at the end of the tank are reproduced at the entrance of the tank by the programmable irregular-wave generator and the mechanical wave generation is repeated at the entrance in order to increase the fetch. Water-level fluctuation is measured at both normal and extremely high wind speeds using resistance-type wave gauges. The results show that, at both wind speeds, LTWGM can produce wind waves with long fetches exceeding the length of the wind-wave tank. It is observed that the spectrum of wind waves with a long fetch reproduced by a wave generator is consistent with that of pure wind-driven waves without a wave generator. The fetch laws between the significant wave height and the peak frequency are also confirmed for the wind waves under long-fetch conditions. This implies that the ideal wind waves under long-fetch conditions can be reproduced using LTWGM with the programmable irregular-wave generator.

Wind-generated gravity-capillary waves: laboratory measurements of temporal growth rates using microwave backscatter

1975 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Larson ◽  
J. W. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Water Waves ◽  
Friction Velocity ◽  
Capillary Waves ◽  
Spectral Amplitude ◽  
Bragg Scattering ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Tightly Coupled ◽  
Microwave Backscatter

The growth rates of wind-induced water waves at fixed fetch were measured in a laboratory wave tank using microwave backscatter. The technique strongly filters out all wavenumber component pairs except for a narrow window at the resonant Bragg scattering conditions. For these waves the spectral amplitude was measured as a function of the time after a fixed wind was abruptly started. The radars were aligned to respond to waves travelling in the downwind direction at wavelengths of 0·7-7 cm. Wind speeds ranged from 0·5 to 15 m/s. Fetches of 1·0, 3·0 and 8·4 m were used. In every case, the spectral amplitude initially grew at a single exponential rate β over several orders of magnitude, and then abruptly ceased growing. No dependence of the growth rate on fetch was observed. For all wavelengths and wind speeds the data can be fitted by \[ \beta (k,u_{*},{\rm fetch})=f(k)\,u^n_{*}, \] with n = 1·484 ± 0·027. Here u* is the friction velocity obtained from vertical profiles of mean horizontal velocity. For each wind speed, f(k) had a relative maximum near k = kn ≃ 3·6 cm−1. Rough estimates of β/2ω, where ω is the water wave frequency, and of the wind stress supported by short waves indicate that the observed growth rates are qualitatively very large. These waves are tightly coupled to the wind, and play a significant role in the transfer of momentum from wind to water.

scholarly journals Model of Vertical Mixing Induced by Wind Waves

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-30
Author(s):  
V. G. Polnikov
Keyword(s):  
Wind Waves ◽  
Vertical Mixing

scholarly journals Upper-Ocean Response to Hurricane Frances (2004) Observed by Profiling EM-APEX Floats*

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1041-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas B. Sanford ◽  
James F. Price ◽  
James B. Girton
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Upper Ocean ◽  
Surface Mixed Layer ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Sst Cooling ◽  
Ocean Response ◽  
Upper Ocean Response ◽  
The Right

Abstract Three autonomous profiling Electromagnetic Autonomous Profiling Explorer (EM-APEX) floats were air deployed one day in advance of the passage of Hurricane Frances (2004) as part of the Coupled Boundary Layer Air–Sea Transfer (CBLAST)-High field experiment. The floats were deliberately deployed at locations on the hurricane track, 55 km to the right of the track, and 110 km to the right of the track. These floats provided profile measurements between 30 and 200 m of in situ temperature, salinity, and horizontal velocity every half hour during the hurricane passage and for several weeks afterward. Some aspects of the observed response were similar at the three locations—the dominance of near-inertial horizontal currents and the phase of these currents—whereas other aspects were different. The largest-amplitude inertial currents were observed at the 55-km site, where SST cooled the most, by about 2.2°C, as the surface mixed layer deepened by about 80 m. Based on the time–depth evolution of the Richardson number and comparisons with a numerical ocean model, it is concluded that SST cooled primarily because of shear-induced vertical mixing that served to bring deeper, cooler water into the surface layer. Surface gravity waves, estimated from the observed high-frequency velocity, reached an estimated 12-m significant wave height at the 55-km site. Along the track, there was lesser amplitude inertial motion and SST cooling, only about 1.2°C, though there was greater upwelling, about 25-m amplitude, and inertial pumping, also about 25-m amplitude. Previously reported numerical simulations of the upper-ocean response are in reasonable agreement with these EM-APEX observations provided that a high wind speed–saturated drag coefficient is used to estimate the wind stress. A direct inference of the drag coefficient CD is drawn from the momentum budget. For wind speeds of 32–47 m s−1, CD ~ 1.4 × 10−3.

Vertical Mixing by Langmuir Circulations

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 225-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. McWilliams ◽  
Peter P. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Langmuir Circulations
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