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Internal wave interferometry.
Manikandan Mathur1, Thomas Peacock
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. manims@mit.edu
Physical Review Letters
|April 7, 2010
Summary
Internal waves in nonuniform density stratifications behave like light in a Fabry-Perot interferometer. This study demonstrates the first experimental internal wave interferometer, revealing resonant transmission principles.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Wave physics
- Optical physics analogy
Background:
- Internal waves are crucial for momentum and energy transport in various natural systems, including oceans, atmospheres, and astrophysical bodies.
- Nonuniform density stratifications are common in these environments, influencing wave behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a mathematical analogy between internal wave propagation in nonuniform density stratifications and optical interferometry.
- To experimentally demonstrate an internal wave interferometer based on resonant transmission theory.
Main Methods:
- Rigorous mathematical derivation of the analogy between internal wave propagation and a Fabry-Perot interferometer.
- Experimental setup designed to demonstrate resonant transmission of internal waves, creating an 'internal wave interferometer'.
Main Results:
- A direct mathematical correspondence was established between internal wave propagation and the Fabry-Perot interferometer.
- The first experimental demonstration of an internal wave interferometer was successfully achieved.
- Observations align with the theory of resonant transmission of internal waves.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals a fundamental connection between wave phenomena in fluid dynamics and optics.
- The developed internal wave interferometer provides a new tool for studying wave dynamics and resonant transmission.
- This work offers insights into energy and momentum transport mechanisms in stratified natural systems.
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