Resonance Generation of Short Internal Waves by the Barotropic Seiches in an Ice-Covered Shallow Lake

Abstract

Purpose. The observation measurements testify the fact that heat and mass transfer processes in the shallow ice-covered lakes are not limited to the molecular diffusion only. In particular, the effective thermal diffusivity exceeds the molecular one by up to a few orders of magnitude. Now it is widely accepted that the transfer processes, in spite of their low intensity, are controlled by intermittent turbulence. At the same time, its nature and generation mechanism are still studied insufficiently. The paper represents one of such mechanisms associated with resonance generation of short internal waves by the barotropic seiches. Methods and Results. The temperature measurements in a shallow lake in winter were used as an experimental base. Having been analyzed, the temperature profiles’ dynamics observed during a few weeks after freezing revealed the anomalous values of thermal diffusivity. At that the temperature pulsations’ spectra clearly demonstrate the peak close to the main mode of barotropic seiches. Counter-phase oscillations at the different depths and pronounced heterogeneity of the amplitudes of temperature pulsations over depth indicate presence of internal waves. Based on these data, the mechanism of energy transfer from the barotropic seiches to the internal waves similar to the “tidal conversion” (the latter governs resonance generation of internal tides in the ocean), is proposed. The expressions for heat flux, energy dissipation rate and effective thermal diffusivity are derived. Conclusions. Internal waves can play an essential role in the processes of interior mixing and heat transfer in the ice-covered lakes. Though direct wind-induced turbulence production is inhibited, baric perturbations in the atmosphere can give rise to barotropic seiches, which play the role of an intermediate energy reservoir and can generate short resonant internal waves resulted from interaction with the undulate lake floor. The internal wave field parameters strongly depend on the barotropic seiche amplitudes, buoyancy frequency and the bottom topography features.