NUMERICAL STUDY OF PROPAGATION AND DEFORM ATION OF SOLITARY DENSITY DISTURBANCES IN A BASIN OF VARIABLE DEPTH

Numerical methods are used to study the propagation of solitary densit y disturbances from the deep sea to the shallow-water zone through the transitory area of variable depth. Two models of oceanic bottom are c onsidered. In the first model the bottom is supposed to be flat in the deep sea and shallow areas. In the transitory zone it varies accordin g to the linear law. The second model is based on the bottom shape of the region adjacent to the Crimean southern coast. An implicit, two st ep over time, finite difference scheme was used for the plane case all owing to compute the transformation of wave disturbances in a stratifi ed ocean. It is shown that as a time progresses the initial solitary d ensity wave is transformed into a wave train. The velocity field has t he patched structure being stronger in places where the continental sl ope is the steepest.