No label defined (Q4344894)

This paper considers long internal gravity waves in a horizontal duct of uniform but arbitrary cross-section filled with two immiscible inviscid stratified fluids. Starting from the averaged equations, a linear stability analysis is presented by using the viscous Kelvin-Helmholtz (VKH) theory. As instability can give rise to quasi-discontinuities, the authors investigate the problem of internal hydraulic jumps. A necessary condition for the existence of the jump is obtained. For the special case of one-liquid flow in a horizontal open channel, this condition reduces to the well-known results that Froude number equals 1. Roll waves are constructed by matching piecewise continuous solutions through hydraulic jumps. The condition for a roll wave to die out appears to be identical to the neutral stability condition in the linear VKH theory. Thus the onset of roll waves can be interpreted as a transition from a smooth stratified to a wavy stratified flow. The second part of the paper shows that a long gravity wave of cnoidal type can exist at the interface of two layered fluids. Solutions for waves of fixed shape moving at a constant speed are constructed up to the second order. A differential equation of KdV type is obtained, leading to cnoidal and solitary waves with two possible modes of propagation. Depending on the sign of a parameter which depends on the undisturbed flow area, the density ratio, and fundamental derivatives which are functions of the cross-section, the authors obtain regular or inverse cnoidal/solitary waves.