---
_id: '9149'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "The interaction of tidal currents with sea-floor topography results in the
radiation of internal gravity waves into the ocean interior. These waves are called
internal tides and their dissipation due to nonlinear wave breaking and concomitant
three-dimensional turbulence could play an important role in the mixing of the
abyssal ocean, and hence in controlling the large-scale ocean circulation.\r\nAs
part of on-going work aimed at providing a theory for the vertical distribution
of wave breaking over sea-floor topography, in this paper we investigate the instability
of internal tides in a very simple linear model that helps us to relate the formation
of unstable regions to simple features in the sea-floor topography. For two-dimensional
tides over one-dimensional topography we find that the formation of overturning
instabilities is closely linked to the singularities in the topography shape and
that it is possible to have stable waves at the sea floor and unstable waves in
the ocean interior above.\r\nFor three-dimensional tides over two-dimensional
topography there is in addition an effect of geometric focusing of wave energy
into localized regions of high wave amplitude, and we investigate this focusing
effect in simple examples. Overall, we find that the distribution of unstable
wave breaking regions can be highly non-uniform even for very simple idealized
topography shapes."
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Oliver
full_name: Bühler, Oliver
last_name: Bühler
- first_name: Caroline J
full_name: Muller, Caroline J
id: f978ccb0-3f7f-11eb-b193-b0e2bd13182b
last_name: Muller
orcid: 0000-0001-5836-5350
citation:
ama: Bühler O, Muller CJ. Instability and focusing of internal tides in the deep
ocean. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 2007;588:1-28. doi:10.1017/s0022112007007410
apa: Bühler, O., & Muller, C. J. (2007). Instability and focusing of internal
tides in the deep ocean. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. Cambridge University
Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022112007007410
chicago: Bühler, Oliver, and Caroline J Muller. “Instability and Focusing of Internal
Tides in the Deep Ocean.” Journal of Fluid Mechanics. Cambridge University
Press, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022112007007410.
ieee: O. Bühler and C. J. Muller, “Instability and focusing of internal tides in
the deep ocean,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 588. Cambridge University
Press, pp. 1–28, 2007.
ista: Bühler O, Muller CJ. 2007. Instability and focusing of internal tides in the
deep ocean. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 588, 1–28.
mla: Bühler, Oliver, and Caroline J. Muller. “Instability and Focusing of Internal
Tides in the Deep Ocean.” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 588, Cambridge
University Press, 2007, pp. 1–28, doi:10.1017/s0022112007007410.
short: O. Bühler, C.J. Muller, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 588 (2007) 1–28.
date_created: 2021-02-15T14:41:45Z
date_published: 2007-10-10T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2022-01-24T13:43:36Z
day: '10'
doi: 10.1017/s0022112007007410
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 588'
keyword:
- mechanical engineering
- mechanics of materials
- condensed matter physics
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022112007007410
month: '10'
oa: 1
oa_version: None
page: 1-28
publication: Journal of Fluid Mechanics
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 0022-1120
- 1469-7645
publication_status: published
publisher: Cambridge University Press
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Instability and focusing of internal tides in the deep ocean
type: journal_article
user_id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
volume: 588
year: '2007'
...