Internal Gravity Waves from a Localized Source in Stratified Medium Flow with a Model Buoyancy Frequency Distribution

Abstract

The problem of calculating internal gravity wave fields generated by a localized source in a stratified flow of finite thickness with a model buoyancy frequency distribution is considered. By using analytical representations of the buoyancy frequency, an implicit form of the dispersion relation is obtained, which depends on the Bessel functions of real index. Numerical results for dispersion curves, lines of equal phase, and wave amplitudes for various wave modes and stratified flow velocities are presented. The thickness of the stratified layer, the vertical gradient of the buoyancy frequency, and the magnitude of the flow velocity are the main factors affecting the amplitude-phase spatial transformation of the wave fields excited downstream.