Water Particle Trajectory and Mass Transport of Internal Waves Propagating Over A Constant Slope

Abstract

This paper presents experimental and theoretical investigations of water particle trajectory and mass transport of internal waves propagating over a sloping bottom in a two-layer density-stratified water. The water particle trajectory has been obtained by experimental, numerical, and analytical methods for two different thickness ratios as well as two wave periods. In addition, the mass transport velocity was estimated. The trajectory of individual particle is not closed but shows a quasi-elliptic pattern. It was confirmed from the measured and computed results that the particle near the density interface yields a maximum forward drift while one away from interface tends to move backward to conserve the mass in the closed wave tank. The theoretical solution gives reasonable results for the drift of the water particle near the density interface.