Near-resonant instability of geostrophic modes: beyond Greenspan's theorem

DOI10.1017/JFM.2020.454zbMATH Open1460.76890arXiv2002.12425OpenAlexW3007055588MaRDI QIDQ5115602FDOQ5115602

Authors: Thomas le Reun, Basile Gallet, B. Favier, Michael Le Bars 

Publication date: 17 August 2020

Published in: Journal of Fluid Mechanics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We explore the near-resonant interaction of inertial waves with geostrophic modes in rotating fluids via numerical and theoretical analysis. When a single inertial wave is imposed, we find that some geostrophic modes are unstable above a threshold value of the Rossby number $kRo$ based on the wavenumber and wave amplitude. We show this instability to be caused by triadic interaction involving two inertial waves and a geostrophic mode such that the sum of their eigen frequencies is non-zero. We derive theoretical scalings for the growth rate of this near-resonant instability. The growth rate scaled by the global rotation rate is proportional to $(kRo{)}^2$ at low $kRo$ and transitions to a $kRo$ scaling for larger $kRo$. These scalings are in excellent agreement with direct numerical simulations. This instability could explain recent experimental observations of geostrophic instability driven by waves.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.12425

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zbMATH Keywords

rotating flowswaves in rotating fluids

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General theory of rotating fluids (76U05) Internal waves for incompressible inviscid fluids (76B55) Turbulence (76F99)

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Cited In (6)

• Nonlinear inertia-gravity wave-mode interactions in three dimensional rotating stratified flows
• Supply mechanisms of the geostrophic mode in rotating turbulence: interactions with self, waves and eddies
• A multiple time scale approach for anisotropic inertial wave turbulence
• Precession-driven flows in stress-free ellipsoids
• Onset of three-dimensionality in rapidly rotating turbulent flows
• Mean zonal flows induced by weak mechanical forcings in rotating spheroids

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