Wake growth in nonlinear stratification

The wake of a horizontally-moving circular disk in a non-linearly stratified fluid is studied using body-exclusive large eddy simulations. Six density profiles, three symmetric and three non-symmetric, are studied at Reynolds number of 500,000. These nonlinear density profiles are representative of the upper ocean with a weakly stratified upper layer, more strongly stratified pycnocline, and a less-weakly stratified lower layer. The disk wake is centered in the pycnocline and has a relatively high Fr = 32. The evolution of the wake across the upper and lower regions of weaker stratification is investigated by measurements of wake dimensions, kinetic energy budgets, and internal wave fields.