Influence of momentum excess on the pattern and dynamics of intermediate-range stratified wakes

Abstract

Submerged bodies propagating in stratified fluids frequently create disturbances in temperature, salinity, and momentum that are detectable at the air-sea interface. This project includes the addition of momentum excess in order to model the fundamental differences between signatures generated by towed and self-propelled bodies in various ocean states. In cases where the body forces, form drag and thrust were balanced, fewer and less expansive surface signatures were observed. In cases where the balance was disturbed by either lack or excess of self-propulsion, a greater perturbation was achieved, particularly in the ocean interior. Discovering the significance of the internal, intermediate-range wakes has transformed the focus of the entire study. With the increasing employment of unmanned underwater vehicles, it is equally imperative to research the internal ocean dynamics as it is to study the physics at the surface. This study was focused on direct numerical simulations. However, the data collected in this investigation have produced new insights into the dynamics of stratified wakes, which can be used on the operational level for developing and improving algorithms for non-acoustic signature prediction and detection.