A dispersive regularization of the modulational instability of stratified gravity waves

We derive high-order corrections to a modulation theory for the propagation of internal gravity waves in a density-stratified fluid with coupling to the mean flow. The methodology we use allows for strong modulations of wavenumber and mean flow, extending previous approaches developed for the quasi-monochromatic regime. The wave mean flow modulation equations consist of a system of nonlinear conservation laws that may be hyperbolic, elliptic or of mixed type. We investigate the regularizing properties of the asymptotic correction terms in the case when the system becomes unstable and ill-posed due to a change of type (loss of hyperbolicity). A linear analysis reveals that the regularization by the added correction terms does so by introducing a short-wave cut-off of the unstable wavenumbers. We perform various numerical experiments that confirm the regularizing properties of the correction terms, and show that the growth of unstable modes is tempered by nonlinearity. We also find an excellent agreement between the solution of the corrected modulation system and the modulation variables extracted from the numerical solution of the nonlinear Boussinesq equations.

► We study modulation theory for stratified gravity waves. ► We consider strong modulations of wavenumber and mean flow. ► Dispersive higher-order corrections regularize the modulation instability. ► Excellent agreement between corrected modulation theory and Boussinesq equations.