Long Nonlinear Internal Wave Breaking and Mixing

这个项目是在横向不均匀环境中进行几个长非线性内波的实验室实验。长内波是大陆架上无处不在的特征。现场研究表明，波的不稳定性可能会引起显著的垂直混合。这项拟议的研究旨在检查可能导致波不稳定和破裂从而促进混合的几个过程。第一个实验将研究两层系统中内孤立波的浅化。第二种考虑了内孤立波与水平变化的密度场的相互作用。第三个实验将浅水化的工作扩展到包括一个连续的而不是均匀的下层。这三种情况在地球物理上都是相关的。其目的是更好地理解导致长内波不稳定和消散的过程，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.