Resonant three–wave interaction of Holmboe waves in a sharply stratified shear flow with an inflection–free velocity profile

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 114101 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Churilov
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Velocity Profile ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Stratified Shear Flow

A Buoyancy–Vorticity Wave Interaction Approach to Stratified Shear Flow

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 2615-2630 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Harnik ◽  
E. Heifetz ◽  
O. M. Umurhan ◽  
F. Lott
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Baroclinic Instability ◽  
Time Integration ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Integration Scheme ◽  
Flow Phenomena ◽  
Time Integration Scheme ◽  
Stratified Shear Flow ◽  
Interaction Approach ◽  
Wave Kernel

Abstract Motivated by the success of potential vorticity (PV) thinking for Rossby waves and related shear flow phenomena, this work develops a buoyancy–vorticity formulation of gravity waves in stratified shear flow, for which the nonlocality enters in the same way as it does for barotropic/baroclinic shear flows. This formulation provides a time integration scheme that is analogous to the time integration of the quasigeostrophic equations with two, rather than one, prognostic equations, and a diagnostic equation for streamfunction through a vorticity inversion. The invertibility of vorticity allows the development of a gravity wave kernel view, which provides a mechanistic rationalization of many aspects of the linear dynamics of stratified shear flow. The resulting kernel formulation is similar to the Rossby-based one obtained for barotropic and baroclinic instability; however, since there are two independent variables—vorticity and buoyancy—there are also two independent kernels at each level. Though having two kernels complicates the picture, the kernels are constructed so that they do not interact with each other at a given level.

scholarly journals On the mechanism of shear flow instabilities

1994 ◽  
Vol 276 ◽  
pp. 327-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter G. Baines ◽  
Humio Mitsudera
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Interaction Mechanism ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Critical Layer ◽  
Homogeneous Fluid ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Stratified Shear Flow ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Arbitrary Velocity

In homogeneous and density-stratified inviscid shear flows, the mechanism for instability that is most commonly invoked and discussed is Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, as it occurs for a simple velocity discontinuity. There is a second mechanism, the wave-interaction mechanism, which is much more general, and is the subject of this paper. This mechanism depends on two free waves that propagate in opposite directions in a stratified shear flow, and which may become stationary relative to each other because of the shear. If this occurs, and their relative phase is suitably chosen, the velocity field of each wave increases the displacement of the other, and so the disturbance grows.We show that this mechanism is responsible for instability in a general class of symmetric but otherwise arbitrary velocity and density profiles, provided that the Richardson number Ri < ¼ in a central region of arbitrarily small thickness. A critical layer exists in this central region for the growing disturbance, but its role in the instability process is incidental. When Ri > ¼ everywhere, the flow is stable because the free waves described above are absorbed by the critical layer, and hence are heavily damped. The necessary criteria of Rayleigh and Fjortoft for instability in homogeneous fluid are seen to provide a suitable geometry for two interacting waves. Some specific examples are given, including a succinct explanation of Holmboe waves.

The Effect of Boundaries on the Stability of Inviscid Stratified Shear Flows

1976 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Einaudi ◽  
D. P. Lalas
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Velocity Profile ◽  
Shear Flows ◽  
Infinite Domain ◽  
Hyperbolic Tangent ◽  
Stratified Shear Flow ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Exchange Of Stability

The influence of the presence and position of solid boundaries on the stability of an inviscid, stratified shear flow, is examined numerically for the case of a hyperbolic tangent velocity profile and an exponentially decreasing density. The presence of solid boundaries is shown to stabilize short wavelengths and destabilize large wavelengths. Furthermore, extra unstable modes, not present in an infinite domain, are found for large wavelengths, both for symmetric and asymmetric boundaries. Finally, the validity of the principle of exchange of stability is examined, and it is shown to be unreliable even for the case of symmetric boundaries.

A note on the instabilities of a horizontal shear flow with a free surface

2000 ◽  
Vol 406 ◽  
pp. 337-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. ENGEVIK
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Free Surface ◽  
Shear Flow ◽  
Velocity Profile ◽  
Froude Number ◽  
The Other ◽  
Algebraic Equations ◽  
Horizontal Shear ◽  
Analytical Treatment ◽  
Unstable Region

The instabilities of a free surface shear flow are considered, with special emphasis on the shear flow with the velocity profile U* = U*0sech2 (by*). This velocity profile, which is found to model very well the shear flow in the wake of a hydrofoil, has been focused on in previous studies, for instance by Dimas & Triantyfallou who made a purely numerical investigation of this problem, and by Longuet-Higgins who simplified the problem by approximating the velocity profile with a piecewise-linear profile to make it amenable to an analytical treatment. However, none has so far recognized that this problem in fact has a very simple solution which can be found analytically; that is, the stability boundaries, i.e. the boundaries between the stable and the unstable regions in the wavenumber (k)–Froude number (F)-plane, are given by simple algebraic equations in k and F. This applies also when surface tension is included. With no surface tension present there exist two distinct regimes of unstable waves for all values of the Froude number F > 0. If 0 < F [Lt ] 1, then one of the regimes is given by 0 < k < (1 − F2/6), the other by F−2 < k < 9F−2, which is a very extended region on the k-axis. When F [Gt ] 1 there is one small unstable region close to k = 0, i.e. 0 < k < 9/(4F2), the other unstable region being (3/2)1/2F−1 < k < 2 + 27/(8F2). When surface tension is included there may be one, two or even three distinct regimes of unstable modes depending on the value of the Froude number. For small F there is only one instability region, for intermediate values of F there are two regimes of unstable modes, and when F is large enough there are three distinct instability regions.

Resonant wave interactions in a stratified shear flow

1988 ◽  
Vol 190 ◽  
pp. 357-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Grimshaw
Keyword(s):  
Shear Flow ◽  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Critical Level ◽  
Internal Gravity Waves ◽  
Wave Interactions ◽  
Resonant Wave ◽  
Resonant Interactions ◽  
Stratified Shear Flow ◽  
Weak Resonance ◽  
Background Shear

Resonant interactions between triads of internal gravity waves propagating in a shear flow are considered for the case when the stratification and the background shear flow vary slowly with respect to typical wavelengths. If ωn, kn(n = 1, 2, 3) are the local frequencies and wavenumbers respectively then the resonance conditions are that ω1 + ω2 + ω3 = 0 and k1 + k2 + k3 = 0. If the medium is only weakly inhomogeneous, then there is a strong resonance and to leading order the resonance conditions are satisfied globally. The equations governing the wave amplitudes are then well known, and have been extensively discussed in the literature. However, if the medium is strongly inhomogeneous, then there is a weak resonance and the resonance conditions can only be satisfied locally on certain space-time resonance surfaces. The equations governing the wave amplitudes in this case are derived, and discussed briefly. Then the results are applied to a study of the hierarchy of wave interactions which can occur near a critical level, with the aim of determining to what extent a critical layer can reflect wave energy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document