Effect of vertical stratification on characteristics and energy of nonlinear internal solitary waves from a numerical model

• Effects of five kinds of stratification on ISW are investigated.
• 2-Thermocline stratification makes ISW phase speed increase but half-width decrease.
• If thermocline deepens 0.064 of total water depth, ratio of KE/APE decreases 10%.
• Ratio of ISW KE/APE changes between 1.30 and 1.65.
• Ratio of KE/APE for 2-thermocline stratification is larger than for 1-thermocline.

A numerical model is set up to study the impact of changes in vertical stratification on the properties of internal solitary waves (ISWs) generated by tidal flow over a ridge. Based on modifications of the observed stratification with a secondary thermocline over a main one in the South China Sea, the effects of five kinds of stratification on the characteristics and energy conversion of ISWs are investigated. In general, the isopycnal undergoing maximum displacement in ISWs is from slightly below the main thermocline. When the stratification below the ridge crest is reduced, the wave amplitude and the number of ISWs in a wave packet increase, while the phase speed, the wave half-width, the sum of ISW kinetic energy (KE) and available potential energy (APE) and the ratio of KE to APE decrease. When the stratification in the upper layer is reduced, the ISW amplitude, the number of ISWs, the phase speed and the sum of KE and APE decrease, while the wave half-width and the ratio of KE to APE increase. If the main thermocline is over the secondary one, the ISW amplitude, the wave half-width, the sum of KE and APE and the ratio of KE to APE increase, while the phase speed reduces. For stratification with two thermoclines, the ISW phase speed increases but the half-width decreases. In addition, the ratio of baroclinic to barotropic energy is found to be between 10% and 40%, and the ratio of ISW KE to APE is between 1.30 and 1.65. It is also shown that the ratio of KE to APE for the stratification with two thermoclines is about 2–6% larger than that for the stratification with only one thermocline. If the thermocline is lowered by about 30 m (0.064 of the total water depth), the ratio of KE to APE reduces by about 10%.