An asymptotic model for the propagation of oceanic internal tides through quasi-geostrophic flow

Abstract: Starting from the hydrostatic Boussinesq equations, we derive a time-averaged `hydrostatic wave equation' that describes the propagation of inertia-gravity internal waves through quasi-geostrophic flow. The derivation uses a multiple-time-scale asymptotic method to isolate wave field evolution over intervals much longer than a wave period, assumes that the wave field has a well-defined and non-inertial frequency such as that of the mid-latitude semi-diurnal lunar tide, neglects nonlinear wave-wave interactions and makes no restriction on either the background density stratification or the relative spatial scales between the wave field and quasi-geostrophic flow. As a result the hydrostatic wave equation is a reduced model applicable to the propagation of large scale internal tides through the inhomogeneous and moving ocean. A numerical comparison with the linearized and hydrostatic Boussinesq equations demonstrates the validity of the hydrostatic wave equation and illustrates the manners of model failure when the quasi-geostrophic flow is too strong and the wave frequency is too close to inertial.