Internal Gravity Waves at Abrupt Topography. ARI: Flow Over Abrupt Topography

Research goals of this study include Identification and modeling of the dynamical processes that determine the oceanic internal gravity wave spectrum, its evolution, and its variability and Understanding the role that internal waves play in the redistribution and mixing of momentum, potential vorticity, heat and salt. Objectives were Identification and modeling of the effects that irregular ocean bottom topography exerts on internal gravity waves Determining the significance of these effects by comparison with other known processes Testing the idea that reflection and scattering of internal gravity waves at bottom topography and the subsequent nonlinear adjustments enhance wave breaking and mixing near topography. Tasks completed were Derivation of the scattering integral in the limit that i the height of the topography is smaller than the internal wave vertical wavelength and ii the slope of the topography is smaller than the slope of the internal wave characteristic.