Interaction between small-scale surface waves and large-scale internal waves

1978 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 1900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdi H. Rizk ◽  
Denny R. S. Ko
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waves ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Scale Surface

Wavenumber transport: scattering of small-scale internal waves by large-scale wavepackets

1995 ◽  
Vol 289 ◽  
pp. 379-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Bruhwiler ◽  
Tasso J. Kaper
Keyword(s):  
Internal Waves ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Initial Distribution ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Theoretic Model ◽  
Frequency Interval ◽  
Crossing Theory ◽  
Invariance Theory

In this work, we treat the problem of small-scale, small-amplitude, internal waves interacting nonlinearly with a vigorous, large-scale, undulating shear. The amplitude of the background shear can be arbitrarily large, with a general profile, but our analysis requires that the amplitude vary on a length scale longer than the wavelength of the undulations. In order to illustrate the method, we consider the ray-theoretic model due to Broutman & Young (1986) of high-frequency oceanic internal waves that trap and detrap in a near-inertial wavepacket as a prototype problem. The near-inertial wavepacket tends to transport the high-frequency test waves from larger to smaller wavenumber, and hence to higher frequency. We identify the essential physical mechanisms of this wavenumber transport, and we quantify it. We also show that, for an initial ensemble of test waves with frequencies between the inertial and buoyancy frequencies and in which the number of test waves per frequency interval is proportional to the inverse square of the frequency, a single nonlinear wave–wave interaction fundamentally alters this initial distribution. After the interaction, the slope on a log-log plot is nearly flat, whereas initially it was -2. Our analysis captures this change in slope. The main techniques employed are classical adiabatic invariance theory and adiabatic separatrix crossing theory.

scholarly journals Internal Waves and Mixing near the Kerguelen Plateau

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelie Meyer ◽  
Kurt L. Polzin ◽  
Bernadette M. Sloyan ◽  
Helen E. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Internal Wave ◽  
Wave Field ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Polar Front ◽  
Frontal Region ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Kerguelen Plateau ◽  
Flow Strength ◽  
Internal Wave Field

AbstractIn the stratified ocean, turbulent mixing is primarily attributed to the breaking of internal waves. As such, internal waves provide a link between large-scale forcing and small-scale mixing. The internal wave field north of the Kerguelen Plateau is characterized using 914 high-resolution hydrographic profiles from novel Electromagnetic Autonomous Profiling Explorer (EM-APEX) floats. Altogether, 46 coherent features are identified in the EM-APEX velocity profiles and interpreted in terms of internal wave kinematics. The large number of internal waves analyzed provides a quantitative framework for characterizing spatial variations in the internal wave field and for resolving generation versus propagation dynamics. Internal waves observed near the Kerguelen Plateau have a mean vertical wavelength of 200 m, a mean horizontal wavelength of 15 km, a mean period of 16 h, and a mean horizontal group velocity of 3 cm s−1. The internal wave characteristics are dependent on regional dynamics, suggesting that different generation mechanisms of internal waves dominate in different dynamical zones. The wave fields in the Subantarctic/Subtropical Front and the Polar Front Zone are influenced by the local small-scale topography and flow strength. The eddy-wave field is influenced by the large-scale flow structure, while the internal wave field in the Subantarctic Zone is controlled by atmospheric forcing. More importantly, the local generation of internal waves not only drives large-scale dissipation in the frontal region but also downstream from the plateau. Some internal waves in the frontal region are advected away from the plateau, contributing to mixing and stratification budgets elsewhere.

scholarly journals Small-Scale Strain Measurements on a Glacier Surface

1971 ◽  
Vol 10 (59) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Colbeck ◽  
R. J. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limit ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Glacier Surface ◽  
Strain Measurements ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Scale Surface ◽  
Deformation Measurements

AbstractSurface deformations in the neighborhood of a crevasse field were measured over short (3 m) gage lengths in order to study flow conditions associated with crevasse formation. The results obtained were unusual in that they were inconsistent with large-scale results found by previous workers. It was concluded that the presence of small-scale surface effects, such as fractures, pot-holes and healed crevasses give rise to small-scale deformation fields with large spatial and temporal variations and that there is a lower limit of gage length below which deformation measurements pertinent to regional (low phenomena cannot be made. This lower limit is apparently an order of magnitude greater than the spacing of the features which give rise to localized effects.

Upscale Energy Transfer by the Vortical Mode and Internal Waves

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 2446-2469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie E. G. Brunner-Suzuki ◽  
Miles A. Sundermeyer ◽  
M.-Pascale Lelong
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transfer ◽  
Internal Wave ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Numerical Experiments ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Driving Mechanism ◽  
Vortex Interaction ◽  
Vertical Scale

Abstract Diapycnal mixing in the ocean is sporadic yet ubiquitous, leading to patches of mixing on a variety of scales. The adjustment of such mixed patches can lead to the formation of vortices and other small-scale geostrophic motions, which are thought to enhance lateral diffusivity. If vortices are densely populated, they can interact and merge, and upscale energy transfer can occur. Vortex interaction can also be modified by internal waves, thus impacting upscale transfer. Numerical experiments were used to study the effect of a large-scale near-inertial internal wave on a field of submesoscale vortices. While one might expect a vertical shear to limit the vertical scale of merging vortices, it was found that internal wave shear did not disrupt upscale energy transfer. Rather, under certain conditions, it enhanced upscale transfer by enhancing vortex–vortex interaction. If vortices were so densely populated that they interacted even in the absence of a wave, adding a forced large-scale wave enhanced the existing upscale transfer. Results further suggest that continuous forcing by the main driving mechanism (either vortices or internal waves) is necessary to maintain such upscale transfer. These findings could help to improve understanding of the direction of energy transfer in submesoscale oceanic processes.

scholarly journals The wave instability pathway to turbulence

2013 ◽  
Vol 724 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce R. Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Internal Waves ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Wave Beam ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Monochromatic Wave ◽  
Wave Instability ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Parametric Subharmonic Instability ◽  
The Waves

AbstractOne way that large-scale oceanic internal waves transfer their energy to small-scale mixing is through parametric subharmonic instability (PSI). But there is a disconnect between theory, which assumes the waves are periodic in space and time, and reality, in which waves are transient and localized. The innovative laboratory experiments and analysis techniques of Bourget et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 723, 2013, pp. 1–20) show that theory can be applied to interpret the generation of subharmonic disturbances from a quasi-monochromatic wave beam. Their methodology and results open up new avenues of investigation into PSI through experiments, simulations and observations.

Automated AFM for small-scale and large-scale surface profiling in CMP applications

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ardavan Zandiatashbar ◽  
Byong Kim ◽  
Young-kook Yoo ◽  
Keibock Lee ◽  
Ahjin Jo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Surface Profiling ◽  
Scale Surface

scholarly journals Deep-sea turbulence evolution observed by multiple closely spaced instruments

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chu-Fang Yang ◽  
Wu-Cheng Chi ◽  
Hans van Haren
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Internal Waves ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Time Derivative ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Energy Dissipation Rate ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ocean Bottom ◽  
Seafloor Topography

AbstractTurbulent mixing in the deep ocean is not well understood. The breaking of internal waves on sloped seafloor topography can generate deep-sea turbulence. However, it is difficult to measure turbulence comprehensively due to its multi-scale processes, in addition to flow–flow and flow–topography interactions. Dense, high-resolution spatiotemporal coverage of observations may help shed light on turbulence evolution. Here, we present turbulence observations from four broadband ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) and a 200-m vertical thermistor string (T-string) in a footprint of 1 × 1 km to characterize turbulence induced by internal waves at a depth of 3000 m on a Pacific continental slope. Correlating the OBS-calculated time derivative of kinetic energy and the T-string-calculated turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate, we propose that the OBS-detected signals were induced by near-seafloor turbulence. Strong disturbances were detected during a typhoon period, suggesting large-scale inertial waves breaking with upslope transport speeds of 0.2–0.5 m s−1. Disturbances were mostly excited on the downslope side of the array where the internal waves from the Pacific Ocean broke initially and the turbulence oscillated between < 1 km small-scale ridges. Such small-scale topography caused varying turbulence-induced signals due to localized waves breaking. Arrayed OBSs can provide complementary observations to characterize deep-sea turbulence.

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