Large Amplitude Breaking Internal Waves: Their Origin and Dynamics

To determine the mechanisms of generation, propagation, dissipation, mixing and decay of large amplitude internal waves formed by tidal flow past topography. OBJECTIVES Our objectives are to use both acoustic remote sensing and in situ profile observations of large amplitude internal waves, together with highly resolved numerical simulation, so as to develop a predictive understanding of their behavior, with application to their generation by flow past topography, their contribution to mass and momentum transport, mixing, modulation of near surface bubble clouds and related properties, including the subduction of bubbles and their fate in the presence of large amplitude streamline deformations trapped behind sills, before their release as freely propagating internal waves. A further objective is to use the numerical simulation to test hypotheses related to observed convective overturning and shear instability induced by the waves under different conditions of stratification and shear and to estimate the mixing and dissipation resulting from these processes. APPROACH Our approach includes the analysis of internal wave measurements acquired on a series of cruises t