Wind-induced chaotic mixing in a two-layer density-stratified shallow flow

Abstract

Tracer dynamics are computed for a shallow two-layer flow in a circular basin subjected to alternating wind-induced circulation. Lagrangian particle tracking is used to model the dynamics of passive tracers in both the upper and lower layers of a flow with distinct two-layer structure. Results show that particle advection becomes chaotic in parts of the flow in both layers where the effect of external forcing is concentrated primarily in the upper layer, with particles in the lower layer less mixed.

Keywords:

• Chaotic mixing
• density-stratification
• Kranenburg's basin
• Lagrangian tracking
• shallow flows
• two-layer lakes and reservoirs

Acknowledgements

The research is partly funded by Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) and Research Management Institute (RMI), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia (Ref: FRGS/1/2012/TK03/UiTM/03/6).