Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 March 2006
The influence of a mean uniform shear on the development of a partially mixed region in an unbounded stratified fluid is considered. Results are given for the very near field and the far field in the large-J (Richardson number) limit. A qualitative discussion for J [gsim ] 1 is also included. The near-field motion is modified on a time scale given by Rτ ∼ J−¼, where R = dU/dz is the mean shear strength. This modification is shown to be a consequence of the kinematic distortion of the wake profile by the mean shear. The radiation field is largely anticipated by the wave-packet discussion of an earlier paper.