Mixed Rossby–Gravity Wave–Wave Interactions

Abstract

Abstract Mixed triad wave–wave interactions between Rossby and gravity waves are analytically derived using the kinetic equation for models of different complexity. Two examples are considered: initially vanishing linear gravity wave energy in the presence of a fully developed Rossby wave field and the reversed case of initially vanishing linear Rossby wave energy in the presence of a realistic gravity wave field. The kinetic equation in both cases is numerically evaluated, for which energy is conserved within numerical precision. The results are validated by a corresponding ensemble of numerical model simulations supporting the validity of the weak-interaction assumption necessary to derive the kinetic equation. Since they are generated by nonresonant interactions only, the energy transfers toward the respective linear wave mode with vanishing energy are small in both cases. The total generation of energy of the linear gravity wave mode in the first case scales to leading order as the square of the Rossby number in agreement with independent estimates from laboratory experiments, although a part of the linear gravity wave mode is slaved to the Rossby wave mode without wavelike temporal behavior.