On the dynamics of internal waves interacting with the equatorial undercurrent

Abstract

The interaction of the nonlinear internal waves with a nonuniform current with a specific form, characteristic for the equatorial undercurrent, is studied. The current has no vorticity in the layer, where the internal wave motion takes place. We show that the nonzero vorticity that might be occuring in other layers of the current does not affect the wave motion. The equations of motion are formulated as a Hamiltonian system.

Keywords:

• Internal waves
• Equatorial undercurrent
• shear flow
• Hamiltonian system

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification:

• 35Q35
• 37K05
• 74J30