Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-20-25-2013
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-20-25-2013
Research article
 | 
08 Jan 2013
Research article |  | 08 Jan 2013

Inertia–gravity waves generated by near balanced flow in 2-layer shallow water turbulence on the β-plane

A. Wirth

Abstract. Using a fine resolution numerical model (40002 × 2 grid-points) of the two-layer shallow-water equations of the mid-latitude β-plane dynamics, it is shown that there is no sudden breakdown of balance in the turbulent enstrophy cascade but a faint and continuous emission of inertia–gravity waves. The wave energy accumulates in the equator-ward region of the domain due to the Coriolis parameter depending on the latitude and dispersion relation of inertia–gravity waves.

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