Resonant Triad Instability in Stratified Fluids

Sylvain Joubaud (1) , James Munroe (2) , Philippe Odier (1) , Thierry Dauxois (1)

1 Phys-ENS - Laboratoire de Physique de l'ENS Lyon
2 Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography

Internal gravity waves contribute to fluid mixing and energy transport, not only in oceans but also in the atmosphere and in astrophysical bodies. We provide here the first experimental measurement of the growth rate of a resonant triad instability (also called parametric subharmonic instability) transferring energy to smaller scales where it is dissipated. We make careful and quantitative comparisons with theoretical predictions for propagating vertical modes in laboratory experiments.

Domaines: Dynamique des Fluides [physics.flu-dyn]; Océan, Atmosphère; Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Sylvain Joubaud, James Munroe, Philippe Odier, Thierry Dauxois. Resonant Triad Instability in Stratified Fluids. Physics of Fluids, 2012, 24, pp.041703. ⟨10.1063/1.4706183⟩. ⟨ensl-00616454v2⟩