Long Nonlinear Internal Wave Breaking and Mixing

本项目是进行几个实验室实验的长期 横向非均匀环境中的非线性内波。 长内波是大陆架上普遍存在的特征 货架现场研究表明，波浪不稳定性可能会导致 垂直混合显著。拟议的研究旨在 研究几种可能导致波浪不稳定的过程， 破碎并因此促进混合。第一个实验将 研究两个区域内孤立波的变浅现象， 分层系统第二个考虑内部的相互作用， 水平变化密度场孤波。的 第三个实验扩展了浅水化的工作， 而不是均匀的下层。所有三 这些情况都是有关系的目标是 提高对导致不稳定的过程的认识 和长内波的消散，以及这些波如何 有助于维持或加强大陆架上的混合。

This project is to conduct several laboratory experiments of long nonlinear internal waves in laterally inhomogeneous environments. Long internal waves are ubiquitous features on continental shelves. Field studies indicate that wave instabilities may cause significant vertical mixing. The proposed research is designed to examine several processes which can lead to wave instability and breaking and thus promote mixing. The first experiment will investigate the shoaling of an internal solitary wave in a two- layer system. The second considers the interaction of a internal solitary wave with a horizontally varying density field. The third experiment extends the work on shoaling to include a continuously rather than uniform lower layer. All three situations are geophysically relevant. The objective is an improved understanding of the processes leading to instability and dissipation of long internal waves, and how these waves may help maintain or enhance mixing on continental shelves.