Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Bispectral Analysis of Energy Transfer within the Two-Dimensional Oceanic Internal Wave Field

Naoki Furuichi Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

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Toshiyuki Hibiya Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

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Yoshihiro Niwa Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2005
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO2816.1
Page(s):
2104–2109
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Abstract

Bispectral analysis of the numerically reproduced spectral responses of the two-dimensional oceanic internal wave field to the incidence of the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide is performed. At latitudes just equatorward of 30°, the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide dominantly interacts with two high-vertical-wavenumber diurnal (near inertial) internal waves, forming resonant triads of parametric subharmonic instability (PSI) type. As the high-vertical-wavenumber near-inertial energy level is raised by this interaction, the energy cascade to small horizontal and vertical scales is enhanced. Bispectral analysis thus indicates that energy in the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide is not directly transferred to small scales but via the development of high-vertical-wavenumber near-inertial current shear. In contrast, no noticeable energy cascade to high vertical wavenumbers is recognized in the bispectra poleward of ∼30° as well as equatorward of ∼25°. A new finding is that, although PSI is possible equatorward of ∼30°, the efficiency drops sharply as the latitude falls below ∼25°. At all latitudes, another resonant interaction suggestive of induced diffusion is found to occur between the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide and two high-frequency internal waves, although bispectral analysis shows that this interaction plays only a minor role in cascading the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide energy.

Corresponding author address: Naoki Furuichi, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Email: furu1@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Abstract

Bispectral analysis of the numerically reproduced spectral responses of the two-dimensional oceanic internal wave field to the incidence of the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide is performed. At latitudes just equatorward of 30°, the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide dominantly interacts with two high-vertical-wavenumber diurnal (near inertial) internal waves, forming resonant triads of parametric subharmonic instability (PSI) type. As the high-vertical-wavenumber near-inertial energy level is raised by this interaction, the energy cascade to small horizontal and vertical scales is enhanced. Bispectral analysis thus indicates that energy in the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide is not directly transferred to small scales but via the development of high-vertical-wavenumber near-inertial current shear. In contrast, no noticeable energy cascade to high vertical wavenumbers is recognized in the bispectra poleward of ∼30° as well as equatorward of ∼25°. A new finding is that, although PSI is possible equatorward of ∼30°, the efficiency drops sharply as the latitude falls below ∼25°. At all latitudes, another resonant interaction suggestive of induced diffusion is found to occur between the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide and two high-frequency internal waves, although bispectral analysis shows that this interaction plays only a minor role in cascading the low-mode semidiurnal internal tide energy.

Corresponding author address: Naoki Furuichi, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Email: furu1@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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