Salt fingers in a steady shear flow

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Abstract
Salt fingers in a steady shear flow are examined both theoretically and in the laboratory. Linear stability analysis for small, uniform shears shows that all modes with a component of the shear normal to their wavecrests are stabilized by the shear, and consequently the preferred mode of instability is that of two‐dimensional sheets aligned downshear. An examination of the energy equation shows that the main stabilizing force comes from the tilt of the modes by the component of the shear normal to their wavecrest. These two‐dimensional sheets are found to equilibrate at finite amplitude in a manner analogous to rolls in thermal convection. The experimental study revealed that these two‐dimensional sheets are indeed found in the laboratory, and measurements of fluxes indicate that they are almost equally efficient as salt fingers in transporting heat and salt vertically.

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