Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Absence of internal tidal beams due to non-uniform stratification
Gerkema, T.; van Haren, H. (2012). Absence of internal tidal beams due to non-uniform stratification. J. Sea Res. 74: 2-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2012.03.008
In: Journal of Sea Research. Elsevier/Netherlands Institute for Sea Research: Amsterdam; Den Burg. ISSN 1385-1101; e-ISSN 1873-1414, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Author keywords
    Internal tides; Faeroe–Shetland Channel; Wave attractors

Authors  Top 

Abstract
    A linear internal-tide generation model is applied to the Faeroe–Shetland Channel, using observed profiles of stratification. Several degrees of simplification are considered: 1) uniform, i.e. constant N; 2) vertically varying N (z); 3) the full N(x, z) and associated geostrophic background flows. It is shown that clearly identifiable internal tidal beams and internal-wave attractors occur in the first case, but not in the other cases where the pattern is patchy due to internal reflections from the strong inhomogeneities in the medium. Given the general occurrence of pycnoclines and geostrophic background flows in the ocean, it is argued that this internal scattering can be expected to be a widespread phenomenon.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors