Joint Effects of Rotation and Topography on Internal Solitary Waves

Abstract: We present the results of the recent study of dynamics of nonlinear oceanic solitary waves under the influence of the combined effects of nonlinearity, Earth’s rotation, and depth inhomogeneity. Our consideration is based on the extended model of the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation that in general accounts for the quadratic and cubic nonlinearity (the Gardner equation) with the additional terms incorporating the effects of rotation and slowly varying depth. After a brief historical outline, using the asymptotic (adiabatic) theory, we describe a complex interplay between these factors. As an application, the case of a two-layer fluid with the variable-depth lower layer is considered using the approximate theory, as well as through numerical solutions of the governing equation that includes all the above factors under realistic oceanic conditions. In particular, different scenarios of the soliton propagating toward the “internal beach” (e.g., zero lower-layer depth) are studied in which the terminal damping can be caused by radiation or disappearing quadratic nonlinearity (when the layers’ depths become equal). We also consider interaction of a soliton with a long wave providing the energy “pump” compensating the radiation losses due to rotation so that the soliton can exist infinitely. The limitations of the adiabatic approach due to the radiation and other factors are also demonstrated.

mathematical physicsanalysis of PDEsclassical analysis and ODEsdynamical systemsnumerical analysisexactly solvable and integrable systemsfluid dynamics

Audience: researchers in the topic

Mathematical models and integration methods