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An empirical investigation of nonlinear energy transfer from the M 2 internal tide to diurnal wave motions in the Kauai Channel, Hawaii
Author(s) -
Chou Sherry H.,
Luther Douglas S.,
Guiles Martin D.,
Carter Glenn S.,
Decloedt Thomas
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058320
Subject(s) - bicoherence , bispectrum , physics , maxima , nonlinear system , internal wave , amplitude , energy (signal processing) , spectral line , computational physics , geology , spectral density , mechanics , optics , mathematics , statistics , quantum mechanics , art , astronomy , performance art , art history
Abstract Current profiles are examined for evidence of nonlinear energy transfers from the M 2 internal tide to diurnal waves. The 6 month records, unlike shorter records, produce well‐resolved velocity and shear spectra that consistently exhibit maxima at the diurnal tides O 1 and K 1 , with a minimum at the intermediate M 2 subharmonic, M 2 /2. The ratio of velocity spectral energy at M 2 /2 and M 2 is quantified, providing a needed modeling benchmark. Bispectra and bicoherences imply a negligible [−M 2 /2, −M 2 /2, −M 2 ] triad interaction, but possibly a significant interaction for the [−O 1 , −K 1 , −M 2 ] triad. Numerical simulations, however, indicate that O 1 and K 1 signals are from internal tides. Tests with synthetic data, linear tides plus random noise, reveal that bispectrum and bicoherence estimators can yield significant values, thus misleading results. Therefore, resolving the diurnal tides from M 2 /2 is essential to meaningfully assess nonlinear transfer of energy from M 2 to diurnal waves.