Normal modes with boundary dynamics in geophysical fluids

TL;DR

This paper develops a mathematical framework for analyzing normal modes in geophysical fluids with dynamic boundary conditions, revealing how boundary activity influences wave behavior and initial value solutions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theory for eigenvalue problems in Pontryagin spaces with boundary dynamics, extending understanding of boundary-trapped waves in geophysical fluid models.

Findings

Eigenvalue problems in Pontryagin spaces are applicable to boundary-active wave problems.

Dynamic boundary conditions lead to wave solutions proportional to boundary projections.

The theory enables solving initial value problems with boundary-active wave interactions.

Abstract

Three-dimensional geophysical fluids support both internal and boundary-trapped waves. To obtain the normal modes in such fluids we must solve a differential eigenvalue problem for the vertical structure (for simplicity, we only consider horizontally periodic domains). If the boundaries are dynamically inert (e.g., rigid boundaries in the Boussinesq internal wave problem, flat boundaries in the quasigeostrophic Rossby wave problem) the resulting eigenvalue problem typically has a Sturm-Liouville form and the properties of such problems are well-known. However, when restoring forces are also present at the boundaries, then the equations of motion contain a time-derivative in the boundary conditions and this leads to an eigenvalue problem where the eigenvalue correspondingly appears in the boundary conditions. In certain cases, the eigenvalue problem can be formulated as an eigenvalue problem in the Hilbert space $L^2\oplus \mathbb{C}$ and this theory is well-developed. Less explored is the case when the eigenvalue problem takes place in a Pontryagin space, as in the Rossby wave problem over sloping topography. This article develops the theory of such problems and explores the properties of wave problems with dynamically-active boundaries. The theory allows us to solve the initial value problem for quasigeostrophic Rossby waves in a region with sloping bottom (we also apply the theory to two Boussinesq problems with a free-surface). For a step-function perturbation at a dynamically-active boundary, we find that the resulting time-evolution consists of waves present in proportion to their projection onto the dynamically-active boundary.