Linear (Airy) Wave Theory

Mathematical relationships to describe wave

movement in deep, intermediate, and shallow
(?) water

Well obtain expressions for the movement of

water particles under passing waves - important
to considerations of sediment transport -->
coastal geomorphology.

Works v. well, but only applicable when L >> H

Originates from Navier Stokes --> Euler

Equations

Solution is eta relationship - write eqn. and

draw on blackboard - show dependence on x,t

Wave Number: k = 2/L

Radian Frequency: = 2/T

Water Surface Displacement Equation

What is the wave height?

What is the wave period?

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Dispersion Equation

Fundamental relationship
in Airy Theory - put eqns.
5-8, 5-9 on blackboard

These are tough to solve,

Door Number 1 =
as L is on both sides of
equality and contained Relationship for wavelength
within hyperbolic
trigonometric function.

Compilation of Airy
Equations - Table 5-2, p. Door Number 2 =
163 in Komar Relationship for celerity

Effect of the Hyperbolic Trig

Functions on Wave Celerity

Whats the relationship for celerity in deep water?

Whats the relationship for celerity in shallow water?

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So the celerity illustrated is

General Expression:

ent
end
dep
d epth
only
S,
SW

DWS, T=16 s Genl Soln., T=16 s

DWS, T=14 s Genl Soln., T=14 s
DWS, T=12 s Genl Soln., T=12 s
Deep-water expression:
DWS, T=10 s Genl Soln., T=10 s

DWS, T=8 s Genl Soln., T=8 s

Shallow-water expression:

Wave Speed - Tsunami

How fast does a tsunami

travel across the ocean?

What classification is this

wave?

Deep water? Intermediate?

Shallow water?

In Shallow Water
wave speed C = (gh)1/2
Deep Ocean Tsunami
C = (10m/s2*4000 m)1/2 ~200 m/s
~450 mph!
(Alaska to Hawaii in 4.7 hours)

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Wave Speed - Nearshore

How fast does a Laird Hamilton surf? wave speed C = (gh)1/2

tow-in waves: H = ~8 m
C = (10 m/s2 * 10 m)1/2 ~ 10 m/s
~25 mph!
waves surfable by mortals:
C = (10 m/s2 * 2 m)1/2 ~ 4.4 m/s
~9 mph!

Derivation of Deep & Shallow water Equations

Deep water - L, C depend only on

period

Shallow water - L, C depend only

on the water depth

Summarize regions of applications

of approximations

Behavior of normalized variables.

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Airy Wave Theory Continued

Orbital Motion in Waves

Show code for this: /Users/pna/Work/mFiles/pna_library/wave_pna_codes/waveOrbVelDeep.m

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Orbital Motion in Waves

Show code for this: /Users/pna/Work/mFiles/pna_library/wave_pna_codes/waveOrbVelDeep.m

Orbital Motion in Waves

Deep water: s=d=Hekz, circular orbits whose diameters
decrease EXPONENTIALLY (truly) through the water surface
at water surface the diameter of particle motion is obviously the
wave height, H.

Intermediate water: ellipse sizes decrease downward through

water column

Shallow water: s=0, d=H/kh; ellipses flatten to horizontal

motions; orbital diameter is constant from surface to bottom.

Airy assumptions not valid in shallow water.

6
Derivation of Wave Energy Density

Total Energy =

Potential Energy + Kinetic Energy

z

E = E p + Ek
1 L 1 1
= 0 h gzdzdx + 0L h ( u 2 + w 2 ) dzdx
L L 2
1 1
= gH 2 + gH 2
16 16
1
= gH 2
8

[units] = M L L2 = joules/m2 or ergs/m2

L3 T2

Wave Energy Flux

Energy density carried along by
the moving waves.

a.k.a. Power per unit wave crest

length

1 T
P= 0 h [p(x,z,t)] udzdt
T
1 1 2kh
= gH 2c 1+
8 2 sinh(2kh)
= Ecn
[dimensions] = M L L2 L

L3 T2 T

Deep Water n=1/2

= joules/sec/m Shallow Water n=1
= Watts/m

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Groupiness / Group velocity

Consider two waves with the same height beating together

wave 1
wave 2

= 1
+
2
= H/2 cos(k1x - 1t) + H/2 cos(k2x - 2t)
= H cos[(k1+k2)/2x - (1+2)/2t] * cos[(k1-k2)/2x - (1-2)/2t]
= H cos(kx- t)*cos[1/2k(x-/k*t)]

average wave
group envelope

Groupiness looks like a wave: With group velocity:

g = cos(k/2 x - /2 t)

cg = / k

Group Velocity and n

Group velocity approx.

cg
= / k
~ /k

Deep Water

2 = gk

cg = /k = g/2 = 1/2 c

Shallow Water

2 = ghk2

cg = /k = (gh)1/2 = c

1 2kh
n= 1+
2 sinh( 2kh)

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Radiation Stress - introduced

the excess flow of momentum

due to the presence of the waves

Nonlinear Waves - Stokes Theory

Komar, 1998

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Cnoidal and Solitary Wave Theory

Limits of Application

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