Stratified flow over topography: Models versus observations

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

12-8-2001

Abstract

Essential mechanisms identified in the authors' observations of flow establishment over topography are restated, with emphasis on those which are at variance with numerical simulations. Specifically, small-scale instabilities were observed to lead to upwards transport of fluid from the primary flow so as to form a nearly stationary intermediate layer, and boundary-layer separation significantly delays establishment of the downslope flow. Simulations that force the streamlines to follow the topography generate a large-amplitude breaking wave, which we did not observe. Our observations show that small-scale instability and separation act in concert to determine the time-dependent evolution of the stratified flow response.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences

Volume

457

Issue

2016

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