Dynamics of vortices and drift waves: a point vortex model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex interactions between vortices and waves using a point vortex model, revealing rich dynamics like oscillations, vortex merging, and chaos, with implications for understanding larger fluid systems.

Contribution

It introduces a simple point vortex model that captures complex vortex-wave interactions and predicts behaviors observed in more complex fluid systems.

Findings

Vortices exhibit oscillations, splitting, merging, and chaos.

Model predictions align with behaviors in the Charney-Hasegawa-Mima system.

Waves significantly influence vortex dynamics.

Abstract

The complex interactions of localized vortices with waves is investigated using a model of point vortices in the presence of a transverse or longitudinal wave. This simple model shows a rich dynamical behavior including oscillations of a dipole, splitting and merging of two like-circulation vortices, and chaos. The analytical and numerical results of this model have been found to predict under certain conditions, the behavior of more complex systems, such as the vortices of the Charney-Hasegawa-Mima equation, where the presence of waves strongly affects the evolution of large coherent structures.