Laboratory Studies of the Stratified Rotating Flow Passing over an Isolated Obstacle

We study the flow of a density-stratified fluid passing over an isolated obstacle, using towing-tank experiments. Our special concern is the response of the flow with different Froude numbers pasing over a three-dimensional obstacle. A series of experiments of the stratified rotating flow passing over an isolated obstacle was carried out with the towering-tank controlled by the similarity laws and dynamic non-dimension parameters. These experiments show that the Froude number is a very important parameter, and the lee wave and the eddy structure appear simultaneously under an appropriate conditions. The effect of rotation on the lee wave is mainly to change wave amplitude, particularly to restain the development of the lee wave and to promote the formation of an eddy.