Large amplitude internal solitary waves over a shelf

Abstract. Dynamics of large amplitude internal waves in two-layers of shallow water is considered. It is demonstrated that in laboratory experiments the subsurface waves of depression over a shelf may be simulated by internal symmetric solitary waves of the mode 2 ("lump-like" waves). The mathematical model describing the propagation and decaying of large internal waves in two-layer fluid is introduced. It is a variant of Choi-Camassa equations with hydrostatic pressure distribution in one of the layers. It is shown that the numerical scheme developed for the Green-Naghdi equations in open channel flows may be applied for the description of large amplitude internal waves over a shelf.