Turbulence Evolution under a Passing Wave Packet

In a realistic ocean environment, traveling wave groups can emerge from random surface waves, influencing the underlying turbulence. This simulation-based study investigates the turbulence response to a Gaussian wave packet, employing a Helmholtz decomposition-inspired method to capture turbulence-wave interactions with wave phase resolved. With this approach, the turbulence is simulated in a rigid-lid box, but the orbital motions of the wave packet can be directly resolved without wave-phase averaging, enabling accurate modeling of the wave packet effect on turbulence. Our results show that turbulence statistics, such as enstrophy and Reynolds normal stresses, experience significant variations during the wave packet passage, particularly around the packet core. The energy spectra indicate that the turbulence enhancement occurs across a wide range of scales, with the near-surface small-scale motions experiencing the most significant intensification. This work elucidates the dynamic interactions between transient wave forces and ocean turbulence.