On the theory of the surface-stress induced entrainment at a buoyancy interface (toward interpretation of KP and KPA experiments

S. A. Kitaigorodskii

doi:10.3402/tellusa.v33i1.10697

On the theory of the surface-stress induced entrainment at a buoyancy interface (toward interpretation of KP and KPA experiments

Tellus

Volume 33 (1981): Issue 1

By: S. A. Kitaigorodskii

Open Access

|Jan 1981

Abstract

An attempt is made to explain KP (Kato and Phillips, 1969) and KPA (Kantha, Phillips and Azad, 1977) laboratory experiments on shear generated turbulent entrainment in stratified fluid. The approach is based on the results of recent computations by Garnich and the author (Garnich and Kitaigorodskii, 1977, 1978; see also Kitaigorodskii, 1979), where it was shown that the effective surface-stress induced entrainment is due to locally generated turbulence in the interfacial shear region. If this is so, then the assumption that the entrainment rate is independent of the character of density stratification below the buoyancy interface leads to reasonable agreement between KP and KPA data.

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