Dynamics of asymmetric stratified shear instabilities

Abstract

Asymmetric shear instabilities combine the intense mixing of a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability with the interface-preserving property of a Holmboe instability. We show that even a small amount of asymmetry can produce a different flow evolution than would be expected for symmetric shear instabilities. These effects can be seen in everything from the underlying linear instability to the turbulent flow statistics.