Laboratory Modeling of Internal Wave Generation in Straits
Abstract
The long term research goal of this project is to develop a clear picture of the key processes involved in internal tide generation at the Luzon Strait through the use of laboratory experimentation supported by analytical modeling, and thereby assist the predictive capability for large amplitude solitary waves in the South China Sea. The objective is to design and execute the necessary laboratory experiments in appropriate dynamic regimes. To use this to clearly determine the big picture regarding internal tide generation at the Luzon Strait. To share these results with researchers performing numerical simulations and field studies and support the interpretation of their data sets. The primary approach is to perform a large scale laboratory experiment at the Coriolis platform in Grenoble, France, in which a realistic model of the topography is used and care is taken so that the key geometrical and dynamical parameters in the experiment are consistent with those of the ocean. The internal wave fields generated in the laboratory are studied using a variety of experimental techniques, in particular Particle Image Velocimetry to obtain velocity field data. The data from these experiments is processed and visualized in a variety of ways in order to explain the observed wave dynamics. The experiments were performed in Fall 2010, producing a vast amount of data. Experiments were run for a wide range of forcing amplitudes, single and multiple forcing frequencies, and stratifications. Since then, the PIV data sets for these experiments have been processed to obtain velocity field data for all the key experiments, and further processing of this data has been used to generate our results.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA590519
Entities
People
- Thomas Peacock
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology