Non-linear internal waves in shallow water. A theoretical and experimental study

M. A. Helal; J. M. Molines

doi:10.3402/tellusa.v32i5.10738

Non-linear internal waves in shallow water. A theoretical and experimental study

Tellus

Volume 32 (1980): Issue 5

By: M. A. Helal and J. M. Molines

Open Access

|Jan 1980

Abstract

A study of non-linear internal waves is introduced with the shallow water theory, in two layers of perfect fluids. After the establishment of a general differential system, the particular case of progressive waves and standing waves is more completely studied and the development leads to a Boussinesq equation for the first-order term. A solution is found as a cnoidal wave in both cases. Laboratory experiments are carried out to test the analytical solution on a standing internal wave and show that even for highly non-linear internal waves our first-order solution describes the wave shape with an accuracy better than 5%.

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