Dynamics of the outflow and its effect on the hydraulics of two-layer exchange flows in a channel

This paper reports that an experimental study is conducted to examine the dynamics of the outflow in two-layer exchange flows in a channel connecting between two water bodies with a small density difference. The experiments reveal the generation of Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities within the hydraulically sub-critical flow region of the channel. During maximal exchange, those KH instabilities develops into large-amplitude KH waves as they escape the channel exit into the reservoir. The propagation speed of those waves, their generation frequency and their amplitudes are studied. The dynamics of the outflow and these waves are directly linked to the hydraulic conditions of the exchange flow within the channel.