Author(s): Claudia ADDUCE; Maria Chiara DE FALCO; Alan CUTHBERTSON; Maria Eletta NEGRETTI; Janek LAANEARU; Daniela MALCANGIO; Joel SOMMERIA

Linked Author(s): Claudia Adduce

Keywords: stratified exchange flows; rotating flows; interfacial instabilities

Abstract:

Laboratory experiments were performed at the Coriolis Rotating Platform to study uni and bi-directional exchange flows in a trapezoidal channel. PIV and conductivity probes were used to measure velocity fields and density profiles. The rotation rate and the freshwater flowrate were varied. The stratified flow dynamics was found to depend on the Burger number, Bu, and for Bu < 0.5 unsteady exchange flows develop. Both the ambient rotation and freshwater flowrate affect the transverse velocity distribution and leads to the partial blockage of the lower saline outflow for the largest freshwater inflows. In addition, shear-driven inter- facial instabilities are analysed and for larger rotation rates the mixing layer thickness increases.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25171/InstGeoph_PAS_Publs-2021-006

Year: 2021