In this section
@inbook{Holm:2023:10.1007/978-3-031-18988-3_8,
author = {Holm, DD and Hu, R and Street, OD},
booktitle = {Stochastic Transport in Upper Ocean Dynamics(STUOD 2021)},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-031-18988-3_8},
editor = {Chapron and Memin and Crisan and Holm and Radomska},
pages = {109--133},
publisher = {Springer, Cham},
title = {Coupling of waves to sea surface currents via horizontal density gradients},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18988-3_8},
year = {2023}
}
TY - CHAP
AB - The mathematical models and numerical simulations reported here are motivated by satellite observations of horizontal gradients of sea surface temperature and salinity that are closely coordinated with the slowly varying envelope of the rapidly oscillating waves. This coordination of gradients of fluid material properties with wave envelopes tends to occur when strong horizontal buoyancy gradients are present. The nonlinear models of this coordinated movement presented here may provide future opportunities for the optimal design of satellite imagery that could simultaneously capture the dynamics of both waves and currents directly.The model derived here appears in two levels of approximation: first for rapidly oscillating waves, and then for their slowly varying envelope (SVE) approximation obtained by using the WKB approach. The WKB wave-current-buoyancy interaction model derived here for a free surface with significant horizontal buoyancy gradients indicates that the mechanism for the emergence of these correlations is the ponderomotive force of the slowly varying envelope of rapidly oscillating waves acting on the surface currents via the horizontal buoyancy gradient. In this model, the buoyancy gradient appears explicitly in the WKB wave momentum, which in turn generates density-weighted potential vorticity whenever the buoyancy gradient is not aligned with the wave-envelope gradient.
AU - Holm,DD
AU - Hu,R
AU - Street,OD
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-18988-3_8
EP - 133
PB - Springer, Cham
PY - 2023///
SN - 978-3-031-18988-3
SP - 109
TI - Coupling of waves to sea surface currents via horizontal density gradients
T1 - Stochastic Transport in Upper Ocean Dynamics(STUOD 2021)
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18988-3_8
ER -
Climate Science
Earth and Life Sciences
Energy and Low-Carbon Futures
Resources and Pollution
Economics and Finance
Health
View all publications and browse by year
Briefing papers and Briefing notes
Grantham Institute Outlooks
Evidence & submission papers
Infographics
Institute reports and analytics notes
Grantham notes
Collaborative publications
Discussion papers
Institute event overviews
Working papers