Internal solitary waves with subsurface cores. (19th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Yangxin; Lamb, Kevin G.; Lien, Ren-Chieh
• Is Part Of: Journal of fluid mechanics. Volume 873(2019)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2019-06-19
• Subjects: internal waves, -- solitary waves, -- wave breaking; Fluid mechanics -- Periodicals; 532.005
• DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2019.407
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1120

Abstract

Abstract : Large internal solitary waves with subsurface cores have recently been observed in the South China Sea. Here fully nonlinear solutions of the Dubreil–Jacotin–Long equation are used to study the conditions under which such cores exist. We find that the location of the cores, either at the surface or below the surface, is largely determined by the sign of the vorticity of the near-surface background current. The results of a numerical simulation of a two-dimensional shoaling internal solitary wave are presented which illustrate the formation of a subsurface core.