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A numerical simulation of Kelvin-Helmholtz waves of finite amplitude

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2006

P. C. Patnaik
Affiliation:
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 80303 Present address: Science Applications Inc., 1205 Prospect Street, La Jolla, California 92037.
F. S. Sherman
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
G. M. Corcos
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720

Abstract

A number of initial- and boundary-value problems for the Boussinesq equations are solved by a finite-difference technique, in an attempt to see how a stably-stratified horizontal shear layer rolls up into horizontally periodic billows of concentrated vorticity, such as are frequently observed in the atmosphere and oceans. This paper describes the methods, results and accuracy of the numerical simulations. The results are further analysed and approximately reproduced by a simple semi-analytic model in Corcos & Sherman (1976).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1976 Cambridge University Press

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