Large-amplitude internal waves and turbulent mixing in three-layer flows under a rigid lid

We consider a nonlinear long-wave Boussinesq-type model describing the propagation of breaking internal solitary waves in a three-layer flow between two rigid boundaries. The Green-Naghdi-type equations govern the fluid flow in the top and bottom homogeneous layers. In the intermediate hydrostatic layer, the fluid is non-homogeneous, and its flow is described by the depth-averaged shallow water equations for shear flows. The velocity shear in the outer layers can lead to the development of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and turbulent mixing. To take this into account, we propose a simple law of vertical mixing, which governs the interaction of these layers. Stationary solutions and non-stationary calculations show the effect of mixing (or breaking) for waves of sufficiently large amplitude. We construct steady-state soliton-like solutions of the three-layer model adjacent to a given constant flow. The obtained theoretical profiles of breaking solitary waves are consistent with laboratory experiments.