A numerical study of vorticity layers in a two-dimensional stratified shear flow (Q1892023)

A numerical study is conducted to find out the conditions of occurrence of a secondary Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the thin layers (referred to as baroclinic layers) that form in a stably-stratified shear layer. For this purpose, three high resolution calculations of a moderately stratified shear layer have been carried out, at a fixed Reynolds number. The wavelength of the initial perturbation is progressively increased, starting from the fundamental wavelength predicted by linear stability theory up to twice this fundamental wavelength. The baroclinic layer of the flow is shown to lengthen and destabilize progressively from one calculation to the other, eventually bearing a secondary Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The structure and dynamics of the baroclinic layers of the three calculations are examined in the frame of a theoretical model proposed by \textit{G. M. Corcos} and \textit{F. S. Sherman} [J. Fluid Mech. 73, 241-264 (1976; Zbl 0317.76024)].