Experimental-theoretical determination of the limiting amplitude and minimum duration of solitary waves in a weakly dispersing shallow sea

This paper presents the results of an analysis of field measurements of a wave bore in the pycnocline of a shallow sea using vertical located thermistors. Hydrodynamic interpretation of the space-time structure of the bore is performed using a mathematical model of a weakly dispersed shallow sea which takes into account the influence of cubic nonlinearity and low-frequency dispersion. The limiting amplitude and minimum duration of the soliton solutions of the model are determined. An algorithm for evaluating these parameters based on measurements of the pulsations of isotherms induced by the bore is proposed. The limiting amplitude and minimum duration of solitary waves in the pycnocline in the coastal the Sea of Japan are evaluated.