Dissipation of Internal Wave Energy Generated on a Critical Slope

Abstract

wo-dimensional simulations of stratified flow over an isolated ridge are used to evaluate energy dissipation associated with barotropic tidal flow over topography with critical or near-critical slope. In the midslope region, a shallow borelike flow forms along the bottom in a layer where dissipation rates are increased by several orders of magnitude, and the flow speed is about twice the barotropic background velocity. The height and turbulence in this layer depend on predictable functions of stratification, rotation, and the characteristic forcing speed. A physically sound power-law parameterization of the total energy dissipation associated with this turbulent layer is presented. This simple parameterization is also applicable to coarser-resolution models, where it may be included to compute energy dissipation above continental slopes, even for cases where the slope angle differs somewhat from criticality.