Dynamics of Benjamin–Ono Solitons in a Two-Layer Ocean with a Shear Flow

The results of a theoretical study on Benjamin–Ono (BO) soliton evolution are presented in simple model two-layer ocean with shear flow and viscosity. upper layer is assumed to move constant speed relative the lower tangential discontinuity profile. It shown that long-wave approximation, such can be appropriate. If supercritical, i.e., its (U) exceeds long linear waves (c1), then BO solitons experience “explosive-type” enhancement due viscosity, their amplitudes increase infinity finite time. In subcritical regime, when U<c1, very slow decay Soliton amplitude decays time as A∼t−1/2 or A∼t−1/3, depending whether both layers weakly viscous (the former case) only latter case). Estimates "explosion time" for real oceanic parameters.