Solitary Waves Impinging on an Isolated Tropical Reef: Arrival Patterns and Wave Transformation Under Shoaling
Abstract
Large nonlinear internal solitary waves (NLIWs) are known to transit west northwest across the northeastern South China Sea from generation sites around the two‐ridge system in the Luzon Strait. The waves are important because their energy flux and dissipation are several orders of magnitude larger than the surrounding ocean. The wave transit has been well studied up to about the 100 m isobath but observations in shallower water have been scarce. Using oceanographic moorings and an innovative distributed temperature sensing optical cable, the NLIW transformations were observed from 2000 to 2 m on the flanks of Dongsha Atoll (Pratas Reef). Possible outcomes included reflection, refraction around the island, wave breaking, and penetration into shallow water. Upslope penetration depended on incident wave amplitude and direction as well as the local stratification.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 10.1029/2021jc017781
Entities
People
- D. B. Reeder
- D. S. Ko
- F. L. Bahr
- Geno Pawlak
- Gregory Sinnett
- Kristen A. Davis
- Ming-Huei Chang
- Sen Jan
- Steven R. Ramp
- Yiing-Jang Yang
Organizations
- Ministry of Science and Technology
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
- National Science Foundation
- National Taiwan University
- Naval Postgraduate School
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Naval Research Laboratory
- University of California
- University of California, San Diego