Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experiments on mixing and dissipation in internal solitary waves over two triangular obstacles

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A series of laboratory experiments was undertaken in a stratified two-layer fluid to investigate the energetics of the interaction between an internal solitary wave (ISW) and triangular obstacles, as well as to determine the partitioning of ISW energy and its subsequent dynamics. The ISW energy was dissipated as a result of internal breaking and turbulent mixing induced by wave instability. Tests involving different combinations of triangular obstacles in various heights and intervals and ISW of different amplitudes were performed. The wave features resulting from the interaction of an ISW and double obstacles were found to differ from those of single obstacle. The incident energy of an ISW was either reflecting back from the obstacles, dissipated through turbulent mixing, or transmitted over the double obstacles. Reduction in wave energy increased as the intervals between obstacles reduced. For two obstacles in different heights, energy dissipation was greater in the case with a higher obstacle ahead of a lower one. However, the overall performance was dependent on the relative height of the obstacles, relative water depth of the upper and bottom layer, in addition to the intervals between the obstacles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bogucki D and Garrett C (1993). A simple model for the shear-induced decay of an internal solitary wave. J Phys Oceanogr 23: 1767–1776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bourgault D and Kelley DE (2003). Wave-induced boundary mixing in a partially mixed estuary. J Mar Res 61: 553–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bourgault D and Kelley DE (2007). On the reflectance of uniform slopes for normally incident interfacial solitary waves. J Phys Oceanogr 37: 1156–1162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen CY (2007). An experimental study of stratified mixing caused by internal solitary waves in a two-layered fluid system over variable seabed topography. Ocean Eng 34(14–15): 1995–2008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chen CY, Hsu JRC, Kuo CF, Chen HH and Cheng MH (2006). Laboratory observations on internal solitary wave evolution over a submarine ridge. China Ocean Eng 20(1): 61–72

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen CY, Hsu JRC, Chen HH, Kuo CF and Cheng MH (2007). Laboratory observations of internal solitary wave evolution on steep and inverse uniform slopes. Ocean Eng 34(1): 157–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen CY, Hsu JRC, Cheng MH, Chen HH and Kuo CF (2007). An investigation on internal solitary waves in a two-layer fluid: propagation and reflection from steep slopes. Ocean Eng 34(1): 171–184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Chen CY, Hsu JRC, Kuo CF, Chen HH and Cheng MH (2007). Laboratory observations on internal solitary wave evolution over a submarine ridge. China Ocean Eng 20(1): 61–72

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chen CY, Hsu JRC, Chen CW, Kuo CF, Chen HH and Cheng MH (2007). Wave propagation at the interface of a two-layer system in the laboratory. J Mar Sci Technol 15(1): 8–16

    Google Scholar 

  10. Helfrich KR and Melville WK (1986). On long nonlinear internal waves over slope-shelf topography. J Fluid Mech 167: 285–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Helfrich KR, Melville WK and Miles JW (1984). On interfacial solitary waves over slowly varying topography. J Fluid Mech 149: 305–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Huttemann H and Hutter K (2001). Baroclinic solitary water waves in a two-layer fluid system with diffusive interface. Exp Fluids 30(3): 317–326

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Johns K (1999) Interaction of an internal wave with a submerged sill in a two-layer fluid. BEng (Hons) thesis, Dept of Environmental Eng, University of Western Australia, Australia

  14. Kao TW, Pan FS and Renouard D (1985). Internal solitions on the pycnocline: generation, propagation, shoaling and breaking over a slope. J Fluid Mech 159: 19–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Klymak JM and Moum JN (2003). Internal solitary waves of elevation advancing on a shoaling shelf. Geophys Res Lett 30: 2045. doi:10.1029/2003GL017706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lamb KG, Nguyen VTh (2007) Energy flux in internal solitary waves and reflectance. J Phys Oceanogr (submitted)

  17. Michallet H and Ivey GN (1999). Experiments on mixing due to internal solitary waves breaking on uniform slopes. J Geophys Res 104(C6): 13467–13477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Moum JN, Farmer DM, Smyth WD, Armi L and Vagle S (2003). Structure and generation of turbulence at interfaces strained by internal solitary waves propagating shoreward over the continental shelf. J Phys Oceanogr 33: 2093–2112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sveen JK, Guo Y, Davies PA and Grue J (2002). On the breaking of internal solitary waves at a ridge. J Fluid Mech 469(25): 161–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Vlasenko VI and Hutter K (2001). Generation of second mode solitary waves by the interaction of a first mode soliton with a sill. Nonlinear Proc Geoph 8: 223–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wessels F and Hutter K (1996). Interaction of internal waves with a topographic sill in a two-layered fluid. J Phys Oceanogr 26(1): 5–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Information System, Yung-Ta Institute of Technology and Commerce, Lin-Luoh, Pingtung County, 90941, Taiwan, ROC

    Chen-Yuan Chen

  2. Department of Marine Environment and Engineering (also APORC), National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, ROC

    John R.-C. Hsu & Ming-Hung Cheng

  3. School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia

    John R.-C. Hsu

  4. Department of Logistics Management, Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan, ROC

    Cheng-Wu Chen

Authors
  1. Chen-Yuan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John R.-C. Hsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming-Hung Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cheng-Wu Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chen-Yuan Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, CY., Hsu, J.RC., Cheng, MH. et al. Experiments on mixing and dissipation in internal solitary waves over two triangular obstacles. Environ Fluid Mech 8, 199–214 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-008-9055-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-008-9055-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation