PROPAGATION OF BAROTROPIC DIPOLES OVER TOPOGRAPHY IN A ROTATING TANK

It is shown how symmetric dipolar vortices can be formed by the action of an impulsive jet in a homogeneous single layer of fluid in a rotating tank. These dipoles are allowed to interact with a constant topographic slope, which can model a beta-plane or a continental shelf. A dipole's trajectory bends toward the right when climbing a slope and to the left when descending, as predicted by numerical simulations and analytical arguments. The maximum penetration of the dipoles over a slope, the adjustment to the slope, and formation of trailing lobes are compared with both numerical simulations and a two-point vortex model. The results suggest that Rossby wave radiation plays an important role in the interaction process.