Abstract: Rotating fluids support inertial waves which under appropriate conditions may form inertial wave attractors, closed orbits of oblique wave beams having high energy density. We present an experimental study of forced inertial wave attractors in rotating spherical and cylindrical layers and describe their rich nonlinear dynamics where, depending on forcing amplitude and frequency, one may observe triadic resonance instability, Stewartson layer instability, and Rossby waves. In particular, we emphasize the non-trivial zonal flows and large-scale azimuthal structures developing in the vicinity of cylindrical shells delimiting virtual Taylor-type liquid columns.

Cite: Subbotin S.V. , Shmakova N.D. , Kozlov V.G. , Ermanyuk E.V.
Inertial wave attractors in rotating spherical and cylindrical fluid layers: instabilities, zonal flows and Rossby waves
the 26th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 25-30 Aug 2024