Mathematical modeling of ocean waves is based on the formulation and solution of the appropriate equations of continuity, momentum and the choice of proper initial and boundary conditions. Under the influence of gravity, many free surface water waves can be modeled by the shallow water equations (SWE) with the assumption that the horizontal length scale of the wave is much greater than the depth scale and the wave height is much less than the fluid's mean depth. Furthermore, to describe three dimensional flows in the hydrostatic and Boussinesq limits, the multilayer SWE model is used, where the fluid is discretized horizontally into a set of vertical layers, each having its own height, density, horizontal velocity and geopotential. In this study, we used an explicit staggered finite volume method to solve single and multilayer SWE, with and without density stratification and bathymetry, to understand the dynamic of surface waves and internal waves. We implemented a two-dimensional version of the incompressible DYNAMICO method and compare it with a one-dimensional SWE. For multilayer SWE, we considered both two layer and a linear stratification of density, with very small density gradient, consistent with Boussinesq approximation. We used Lagrangian vertical coordinate which doesn't allow mass to flow across vertical layers. Numerical examples are presented to verify multilayer SWE model against single layer SWE, in terms of the phase speed and the steepness criteria of wave profile. In addition, the phase speed of the barotropic and baroclinic mode of two-layer SWE also verified our multilayer SWE model. We found that, for multilayer SWE, waves move slower than single layer SWE and get steeper than normal when they flow across bathymetry. A series of numerical experiment were carried out to compare 1-D shallow water solutions to 2-D solutions with and without density as well as to explain the dynamics of surface wave and internal wave.
We found that, a positive fluctuations on free surface causes water to rise above surface level, gravity pulls it back and the forces that acquired during the falling movement causes the water to penetrate beneath it's equilibrium level, influences the generation of internal waves. Internal waves travel considerably more slowly than surface waves. On the other hand, a bumpy or a slicky formation of surface waves is associated with the propagation of internal waves. The interaction between these two waves is therefore demonstrated and discussed. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / In the modelling of ocean wave, the formulation and solution of appropriate equations and proper initial and boundary conditions are required. The shallow water equations (SWE) are derived from the conservation of mass and momentum equations, in the case where the horizontal length scale of the wave is much greater than the depth scale and the wave height is much less than the fluid's mean depth. In multilayer SWE, the fluid is discretized horizontally into a set of vertical layers, each having its own height, density, horizontal velocity and geopotential. In this study, we used an explicit staggered finite volume method to solve single and multilayer SWE, with and without density stratification and bathymetry, to understand the dynamic of surface waves and internal waves. A series of numerical experiments were carried out to validate our multilayer model. It is found that, in the presence of density differences, surface waves for the multilayer SWE move slowly and get more steep than normal when they flow across bathymetry. Also, a positive fluctuations on free surface generates internal waves at the interior of ocean which propagate along the line of density gradient.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23721 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Parvin, Afroja |
| Contributors | Kevlahan, Nicholas, Computational Engineering and Science |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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