Numerical simulation of breaking gravity waves

Abstract

Geophysical flows including stable stratification and system rotation are a special challenge for turbulence subgrid-sclae models for large-eddy simulation (LES) and hence require validation with suitable test cases. We validate different subgrid-scale models for this kind of flows using a breaking monochromatic inertiagravity wave that has been studied before. We find that the standard Smagorinsky model cannot be recommended while the dynamic Smagorinsky model and the implicit turbulence model ALDM are suitable to simulate this complex flow with high accuracy.