Two-dimensional wake vortex physics in the stably stratified atmosphere

The effects of stable stratification on aircraft wake vortices are investigated by means of high-resolution two-dimensional simulations. The simulations elucidate that the vortices first decelerate and then accelerate their descent, where they largely conserve their circulation. However, for very stable stratification the tip vortices may rise again to the flight path. The underlying physical mechanisms are revealed by means of a point vortex method and are examined complementarily by balancing the impulse of the wake vortices. It is shown that the prominant effects, deceleration, detrainment and acceleration, are caused by the kinematic interaction of the vorticity generated by baroclinity and the primary vorticity. Furthermore, it is found that the impulse of the ‘whole’ system, including the detrained secondary vorticity, is oscillating with the Brunt-Väisälä frequency which implies that the wingtip vortices themselves do not. Finally, a local shear-number is proposed which takes into account the interaction of primary and secondary vorticity and can describe the instantaneous tendency of wake vortices to accelerate or to decelerate.