Internal solitary waves with stratification in density

Abstract

AbstractLong periodic waves propagating in a closed channel are considered. The fluid consists of two layers of constant densities separated by a layer in which the density varies continuously. The numerical results of Vanden-Broeck and Turner [8] are extended. It is shown that their solutions are particular members of a family of solutions. Solutions are selected by requiring that the streamfunction takes values on the upper and lower walls which are consistent with a uniform stream far upstream. The new solutions are qualitatively similar to those of Vanden-Broeck and Turner [8]. In particular, there are periodic waves characterized by a train of ripples at their troughs. It is shown numerically that these waves approach solitary waves with oscillatory tails as their wavelength increases. Moreover special solutions for which the amplitude of the ripples is almost zero are identified. Such solutions without ripples were previously found for solitary waves with surface tension.