Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics (Mar 2009)
Conjugate flows and amplitude bounds for internal solitary waves
Abstract
Amplitude bounds imposed by the conservation of mass, momentum and energy for strongly nonlinear waves in stratified fluid are considered. We discuss the theoretical scheme which allows to determine broadening limits for solitary waves in the terms of a given upstream density profile. Attention is focused on the continuously stratified flows having multiple broadening limits. The role of the mean density profile and the influence of fine-scale stratification are analyzed.