The influence of tidal hydrodynamic conditions on the generation of lee waves at the main sill of the Strait of Gibraltar

The main sill of the Strait of Gibraltar (Camarinal Sill) is an area of very energetic internal wave activity. The highest amplitude internal wave is the well-known internal bore, generated at critical conditions over Camarinal Sill. A very energetic lee wave has recently been found and reported. This occurs in neap tides when favorable combination of the stratification, vertical profile of horizontal background velocity, and bottom topography determines its generation. When the lee wave is developed the manifestation of high-amplitude internal waves is observed at the sea surface as high-frequency chaotic oscillations, named boiling waters. We analyze the generation of the lee wave over the main sill of Gibraltar Strait on the basis of the data from a ship mounted ADCP, multi-probe CTD data taken during a survey carried out in November 1998, and the numerical solution of the Taylor–Goldstein equation for the prevailing hydraulic conditions previous to its generation. Stratification is computed from CTD data, and the tidal current prediction is made from the 2 years of ADCP hourly data at Camarinal Sill gathered during the Gibraltar Experiment 94-96. The main characteristic is that they happen during neap tides, and their magnitude is comparable to the internal bore generated during spring tides. The classical internal bore and the lee waves are different phenomena, and the presence of the latter is an indicator of minimum flow over Camarinal Sill. A prediction model for lee waves based on the tidal hydrodynamic conditions is also developed.