Interaction of interfacial and internal waves**Translated from Nagare, Journal of Japan Society of Fluid Mechanics 4 (1985) 324–336.

Abstract

Reflection of internal waves at an interface between the mixed layer and a stratified fluid under the layer is investigated experimentally. Reflection coefficients of the internal waves and transmission coefficients of interfacial waves are obtained for the case in which the interfacial waves propagate along the interface. In order to reveal the energy budget of the two kinds of waves, the above reflection and transmission coefficients are employed in consideration of dissipation of the waves. These coefficients are investigated for different values of a ratio of the frequencies of the interfacial and internal waves. When the ratio is ½, 1 or 2 at the same horizontal wavenumber, overreflection takes place (i.e., reflection coefficient > 1), while under the same condition the transmission coefficient of the interfacial wave is less than unity. This indicates that the energy source of the overreflection of the internal wave is the interfacial wave. Overreflection also takes place when the two waves have the same frequencies and are in phase. On the other hand, the interfacial wave overtransmits the energy (i.e., transmission coefficient > 1) when the two waves are out of phase.