Topographic Effects in Stratified Flows

This is a valuable resource for students and teachers of fluid mechanics, providing a deep understanding of the dynamics, and including applications to the flow of the atmosphere and ocean on small to medium scales. This second edition covers significant recent developments and has been restructured into short, digestible chapters.

Covering both theory and experiment, this text describes the behaviour of homogeneous and density-stratified fluids over and around topography. Its presentation is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in fluid mechanics, as well as for practising scientists, engineers, and researchers. Using laboratory experiments and illustrations to further understanding, the author explores topics ranging from the classical hydraulics of single-layer flow to more complex situations involving stratified flows over two- and three-dimensional topography, including complex terrain. A particular focus is placed on applications to the atmosphere and ocean, including discussions of downslope windstorms, and of oceanic flow over continental shelves and slopes. This new edition has been restructured to make it more digestible, and updated to cover significant developments in areas such as exchange flows, gravity currents, waves in stratified fluids, stability, and applications to the atmosphere and ocean.