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Observations of Multiple Internal Wave Packets in a Tidal River Plume
Author(s) -
Rijnsburger Sabine,
Flores Raúl P.,
Pietrzak Julie D.,
Lamb Kevin G.,
Jones Nicole L.,
HornerDevine Alexander R.,
Souza Alejandro J.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1029/2020jc016575
Subject(s) - plume , front (military) , froude number , geology , panache , internal wave , hydrostatic equilibrium , field (mathematics) , atmospheric sciences , oceanography , mechanics , meteorology , physics , flow (mathematics) , mathematics , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics
Remotely sensed images document the occurrence of multiple packets of internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the Rhine River plume at the same time. We use a combination of field observations, and non‐hydrostatic and hydrostatic modeling to understand the processes that lead to the generation and retention of multiple ISW packets within the Rhine plume. Previous numerical modeling shows that the tidal plume front is trapped in the mid‐field plume for more than one tidal cycle due to tidal straining and recirculation within the plume, resulting in the presence of multiple fronts in the near‐and mid‐field plume regions. In this work, we show how variations in the strength of these fronts can lead to the release of ISW packets. We conclude that the retention of the fronts in the mid‐field region of the plume and modulation in the strength of the fronts can explain the presence of multiple ISW packets. A frontal Froude number analysis shows that fronts generated during the previous ebb tide can release ISWs in addition to the newly released tidal plume front.