1. Experimental determination of zonal winds driven by tides
- Author
-
Cyprien Morize, Andreas Tilgner, M. Le Bars, and P. Le Gal
- Subjects
Physics ,Inertial frame of reference ,General Physics and Astronomy ,Mechanics ,01 natural sciences ,Physics::Geophysics ,010305 fluids & plasmas ,Physics::Fluid Dynamics ,Nonlinear system ,Stars ,Particle image velocimetry ,Gravitational field ,13. Climate action ,Planet ,Physics::Space Physics ,0103 physical sciences ,Tidal force ,010306 general physics ,Physics::Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics ,Geostrophic wind - Abstract
We describe a new phenomenon of zonal wind generation by tidal forcing. Following a recent theoretical and numerical analysis [A. Tilgner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 194501 (2007)], we present the first experimental evidence that the nonlinear self-interaction of a tidally forced inertial mode can drive an intense axisymmetric flow in a rotating deformed sphere. Systematic measurements of zonal flows are carried out by an embarked system of particle image velocimetry, allowing the determination of general scaling laws. These results are fully relevant for zonal winds generation in planets and stars, and illustrate a generic mechanism of geostrophic flow generation by periodic forcing.
- Published
- 2010