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Vorticity effects on nonlinear wave–current interactions in deep water

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2015

R. M. Moreira  and
J. T. A. Chacaltana
R. M. Moreira*
Affiliation:
Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Fluminense Federal University, Rua Passo da Pátria 156, bl.D, sl.563A, Niterói, RJ 24210-240, Brazil
J. T. A. Chacaltana*
Affiliation:
Free-Surface Flow Laboratory, Espírito Santo Federal University, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514, CT-4, sl.24, Vitória, ES 29075-910, Brazil
*
†Email addresses for correspondence: roger@vm.uff.br, julio.chacaltana@ufes.br
†Email addresses for correspondence: roger@vm.uff.br, julio.chacaltana@ufes.br
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Abstract

The effects of uniform vorticity on a train of ‘gentle’ and ‘steep’ deep-water waves interacting with underlying flows are investigated through a fully nonlinear boundary integral method. It is shown that wave blocking and breaking can be more prominent depending on the magnitude and direction of the shear flow. Reflection continues to occur when sufficiently strong adverse currents are imposed on ‘gentle’ deep-water waves, though now affected by vorticity. For increasingly positive values of vorticity, the induced shear flow reduces the speed of right-going progressive waves, introducing significant changes to the free-surface profile until waves are completely blocked by the underlying current. A plunging breaker is formed at the blocking point when ‘steep’ deep-water waves interact with strong adverse currents. Conversely negative vorticities augment the speed of right-going progressive waves, with wave breaking being detected for strong opposing currents. The time of breaking is sensitive to the vorticity’s sign and magnitude, with wave breaking occurring later for negative values of vorticity. Stopping velocities according to nonlinear wave theory proved to be sufficient to cause wave blocking and breaking.

JFM classification

Waves/Free-surface Flows: Surface gravity waves Waves/Free-surface Flows: Wave breaking Waves/Free-surface Flows: Waves/Free-surface Flows

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Papers
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Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 778 , 10 September 2015 , pp. 314 - 334
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© 2015 Cambridge University Press 

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