On the generation of lateral internal waves by a surface seiche in a partially mixed estuary

• Published in: Estuarine, coastal and shelf science Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 557 - 566
• Main Authors: New, A.L., Dyer, K.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 1987; Elsevier
• Subjects: Brackish; Coastal oceanography, estuaries. Regional oceanography; Earth, ocean, space; estuaries; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; internal waves; Physics of the oceans; surface seiches; internal waves; surface seiches; estuaries; Estuaries; Ocean wave; Seiche; Internal wave
• ISSN: 0272-7714; 1096-0015
• DOI: 10.1016/0272-7714(87)90134-X

Dyer (1982) observed internal oscillations in Southampton Water of predominantly 8 and 4 min periods. These were thought to be lateral standing waves generated by the interaction of the first- and second-order surface seiches, respectively, with estuarine topography. The present paper extends the work of Rattray (1960) to model the cross-sectional topography of Southampton Water, and shows that internal waves of the observed periods, wavelengths and amplitudes could indeed have been generated in the manner envisaged, but only near the times of certain internal resonant conditions. In general, about two or three such resonances occur per half tidal cycle, and this is in qualitative agreement with Dyer's observations.