Experimental study on the mixing induced by inertia-gravity wave breaking on the dynamical barrier of a vortex
Résumé
We present the results of an experimental investigation on the material transport across the shear zone of a cyclonic vortex induced by the breaking of inertia-gravity waves. As has been suggested by McIntyre (1995) this could be a possible mechamism of ozone transport across the dynamical barrier of the polar vortex. The experiments were conducted in a 1 meter size tank containing a rotating stratified fluid. Barotropic vortices were generated by siphoning off fluid with a long perforated tube and per- turbed by planar internal waves generated by the vertical oscillation of a horizontal circular cylinder. As predicted by theorical results based on the WKB approximation, the waves opposing the vortex velocity field were trapped in the outer edge of the vor- tex. In some cases, the increase of wave energy in this region was strong enough to lead to 3-dimensional breaking of the wave pattern. Experimental visualization tech- niques were used to determine the class of instability responsible for this breaking and to measure the induced mixing. A simple model to predict the efficiency of the mixing process will be presented.