Sub-inertial modulation of nonlinear Kelvin waves in the coastal zone

Abstract. Observational evidence is presented for interaction between nonlinear internal Kelvin waves at the ω_t,i (where the ω_t is the semidiurnal frequency and the ω_i is the inertial frequency) and random oscillations of the background coastal current at the sub-inertial Ω frequency in the Japan/East Sea. Enhanced coastal currents at the sum ω₊ and difference ω-frequencies ω_±=ω_t,i ± Ω have properties of propagating Kelvin waves, which suggests permanent energy exchange from the sub-inertial band to the mesoscale ω_± band. This interaction may be responsible for a greater-than-predicted intensification, steepening and breaking of boundary-trapped Kelvin waves. The problem of interaction between the nonlinear Kelvin wave at the frequency ω and the low-frequency narrowband noise with representative frequency Ω≪ω is investigated using the theory of nonlinear weak dispersion waves.