SEMINAR: OI Seminar Series - Harper Simmons

Title: Simulations and observations of large amplitude internal tides and solitons in the South China Sea

Abstract: The Luzon Strait separates the South China Sea from the Western Pacific. Strong tidal exchange generates internal tides that propagate into the South China Sea as large-amplitude nonlinear internal waves (solitons). Simulations were performed with a regional model. Although the model is relatively simple it shows predictive skill both in the near field region of internal tide generation, and in the far field where extremely nonlinear waves are observed to shoal on the Chinese continental shelf. We will present detailed model comparisons with field measurements of wave arrival times, energy flux, turbulent dissipation, and mode-conversion. Combining observations with predictive model simulations allows us to reconstruct a more complete space-time description of the internal wave environment throughout the South China Sea.