Parametric instability and wave turbulence driven by tidal excitation of internal waves

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how tidal deformation can induce parametric internal wave instabilities and weak wave turbulence in stratified fluids, with implications for planetary and oceanic dynamics.

Contribution

Introduces a local model to analyze tidal-driven internal wave instabilities and turbulence, validated by DNS, Floquet theory, and WKB analysis, revealing new turbulence spectra and mixing behaviors.

Findings

Tidal flows can drive parametric subharmonic resonances of internal waves.

Weak internal wave turbulence occurs at small Froude and buoyancy Reynolds numbers.

Wave turbulence spectrum exhibits a -2 power law similar to oceanic Garrett-Munk spectrum.

Abstract

We investigate the stability of stratified fluid layers undergoing homogeneous and periodic tidal deformation. We first introduce a local model which allows to study velocity and buoyancy fluctuations in a Lagrangian domain periodically stretched and sheared by the tidal base flow. While keeping the key physical ingredients only, such a model is efficient to simulate planetary regimes where tidal amplitudes and dissipation are small. With this model, we prove that tidal flows are able to drive parametric subharmonic resonances of internal waves, in a way reminiscent of the elliptical instability in rotating fluids. The growth rates computed via Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) are in very good agreement with WKB analysis and Floquet theory. We also investigate the turbulence driven by this instability mechanism. With spatio-temporal analysis, we show that it is a weak internal wave turbulence occurring at small Froude and buoyancy Reynolds numbers. When the gap between the excitation and the Brunt-V\"ais\"al\"a frequencies is increased, the frequency spectrum of this wave turbulence displays a -2 power law reminiscent of the high-frequency branch of the Garett and Munk spectrum (Garrett & Munk 1979) which has been measured in the oceans. In addition, we find that the mixing efficiency is altered compared to what is computed in the context of DNS of stratified turbulence excited at small Froude and large buoyancy Reynolds numbers and is consistent with a superposition of waves.