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Head on collisions between two quasi-geostrophic hetons in a continuously stratified fluid

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rc13_revised.pdf (8.388Mb)
Date
09/2015
Author
Reinaud, Jean Noel
Carton, Xavier
Keywords
Geophysical and geological flows
Quasi-geostrophic flows
Vortex dynamics
QA Mathematics
QC Physics
NDAS
Metadata
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Abstract
We examine the interactions between two three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic hetons. The hetons are initially translating towards one another. We address the effect of the vertical distance between the two poles (vortices) constituting each heton, on the interaction. We also examine the influence of the horizontal separation between the poles within each heton. In this investigation, the two hetons are facing each other. Two configurations are possible depending on the respective location of the like-signed poles of the hetons. When they lie at the same depth, we refer to the configuration as symmetric; the anti-symmetric configuration corresponds to opposite-signed poles at the same depth. The first step in the investigation uses point vortices to represent the poles of the hetons. This approach allows to rapidly browse the parameter space and to estimate the possible heton trajectories. For a symmetric pair, hetons either reverse their trajectory or recombine and escape perpendicularly depending of their horizontal and vertical offsets. On the other hand, anti-symmetric hetons recombine and escape perpendicularly as same-depth dipoles. In a second part, we focus on finite core hetons (with finite volume poles). These hetons can deform and may be sensitive to horizontal shear induced deformations, or to baroclinic instability. These destabilisations depend on the vertical and horizontal offsets between the various poles, as well as on their width-to-height aspect ratios. They can modify the volume of the poles via vortex merger, breaking and/or shearing out; they compete with the advective evolution observed for singular (point) vortices. Importantly, hetons can break down or re-configure before they can drift away as expected from a point vortex approach. Thus a large variety of behaviours is observed in the parameter space. Finally, we briefly illustrate the behaviour of tall hetons which can be unstable to an azimuthal mode l=1 when many vertical modes of deformation are present on the heton.
Citation
Reinaud , J N & Carton , X 2015 , ' Head on collisions between two quasi-geostrophic hetons in a continuously stratified fluid ' Journal of Fluid Mechanics , vol 779 , pp. 144-180 . DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2015.422
Publication
Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2015.422
ISSN
0022-1120
Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2015. Cambridge University Press. This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Fluid Mechanics following peer review. The version of record  Head on collisions between two quasi-geostrophic hetons in a continuously stratified fluid Reinaud, J. N. & Carton, X. Sep 2015 In : Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 779, p. 144-180 is available online at: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9907870&fileId=S002211201500422X
Description
Date of Acceptance : 21/07/2015
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • Applied Mathematics Research
  • Scottish Oceans Institute Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/8219

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