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On the importance of weak steady shear in the refraction of short internal waves
Author(s) -
Buckley Greg,
Broutman Dave,
Rottman James W.,
Eckermann Stephen
Publication year - 1999
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 - 10.1029/1999gl900483
Subject(s) - inertia , amplitude , wavenumber , instability , refraction , physics , internal wave , mechanics , shear (geology) , geology , geophysics , classical mechanics , optics , petrology
Ray theory is used to study the refraction of short oceanic internal waves by a spectrum of large amplitude inertia waves superimposed on a weakly sheared steady current. The results suggest that the steady current has a significant cumulative effect on short‐wave propagation over the timescale of a few inertia periods. The strength of ray convergence is also computed, as this affects short‐wave amplitudes. Typically we find weak ray convergence and much slower growth toward instability with increasing vertical wavenumber than in a steady‐shear critical‐layer model.