Stratified two-layer thermally-enhanced gravity-driven flows

We consider the flow of a stratified surface gravity current having a temperature-dependent density. The stratification is assumed to be linear and is maintained by external heating which is also assumed to attenuate linearly over the depth of the surface layer. This induces vertical shear in the horizontal velocity field thereby ruling out shallow water theory as a viable description. The simulated flows are contrasted with other models including flows governed by shallow water theory to bring out the effect of stratification. Significant differences in the flow features are observed and discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.