Breaking internal lee waves at Kaena Ridge, Hawaii

Type : ACL
Nature : Production scientifique
Au bénéfice du Laboratoire : Non
Statut de publication : Publié
Année de publication : 2014
Auteurs (3) : ALFORD Matthew,h KLYMAK Jody,m CARTER G,s
Revue scientifique : Geophysical Research Letters
Volume : 41
Fascicule : 3
Pages : 906-912
DOI : 10.1002/2013GL059070
URL : -
Abstract : Shallow water oscillatory flows and deep ocean steady flows have both been observed to give rise to breaking internal lee waves downstream of steep seafloor obstacles. A recent theory also predicts the existence of high-mode oscillatory internal lee waves in deep water, but they have not previously been directly observed. Here we present repeated spatial transects of velocity, isopycnal displacement, and dissipation rate measured with towed instruments on the south flank of a supercritical ridge in Hawaii known as Kaena Ridge and compare them with predictions from a 3-D numerical model with realistic tidal forcing, bathymetry, and stratification. The measured and modeled flow and turbulence agree well in their spatial structure, time dependence, and magnitude, confirming the existence and predicted nature of high-mode internal lee waves. Turbulence estimated from Thorpe scales increases 2 orders of magnitude following downslope tidal flow, when the internal lee wave begins to propagate upslope and breaks.
Mots-clés : BEAMS; ENERGETICS; hydraulics; internal waves; mixing; MODEL; OCEAN; OVERTURNS; SILL; STRATIFIED FLOW; TIDE; TURBULENCE
Commentaire : Times Cited in Web of Science Core Collection: 19
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Citation :
Alford MH, Klymak JM, Carter GS (2014) Breaking internal lee waves at Kaena Ridge, Hawaii. Geophys Res Lett 41: 906-912 | doi: 10.1002/2013GL059070