On the sheared density interface of an entraining stratified fluid

Abstract

This paper deals with the nature of the entrainment interface of a two-layer fluid subjected to interfacial velocity shear. The shear flow was generated by driving the mixed layer over the dense layer by a disk pump such that there is no stress at the top of the mixed layer. During the entrainment process a sharp, thin-density interfacial layer developed; its thickness δ was found to increase linearly with the mixed-layer depth h, independent of the Richardson number Riu. The shear layer thickness δs was found to be much larger than δ and the ratio δs/h is also found to be constant, irrespective of Riu. At the entrainment interface, the estimated buoyancy flux and the dissipation of turbulent kinetic-energy appear to be of the same order. This result supports an entrainment law of the form E ∼ Riu−1, where E is the entrainment coefficient. The interfacial layer showed sporadic large-amplitude wave oscillations whose amplitudes scaled well with the estimated size of the undulations caused by the impingement of large eddies (of size h) on the density interface. The density-interfacial layer was found to be ‘topped’ by a layer of partially mixed fluid which had not yet incroporated into the well-mixed region.