POINT SINK FLOW OF STRATIFIED FLUID IN A RIGID ROTATING SYSTEM

Abstract

  Point sink flow of rotating stratified fluid in a reservoir of finite depth is studied numerically as an initial-value problem starting from a quiescent state. Discharge from the sink generates inertial internal gravity waves, and they propagate cylindrically in a horizontal direction. We investigate their behavior in detail to clarify the process of selectivel withdrawal formation. As time elapses more, the withdrawal-layer thickness increases gradually. The speed of such withdrawal-layer thickening becomes slower as the effect of viscosity increases. It is found that the speed of thickening is a function of the Reynolds number only and does not depend on the other parameters if the time is nondimensionalized properly using the rotating speed of the system.