APPROXIMATION DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOCUSSING OF WATER WAVES

[摘要] Underwater shoals and spurs focus water waves that propagate over them. The normal theoretical approach to finding a more accurate solution of the linear equations is to interpret the envelope of crossing rays as a cusp of caustics (see Figure 1) and to use Pearcey's function (Pearcey 1946). In practical cases the ray pattern is rarely sufficiently well defined to enable the cusp parameters to be deduced. An alternative approach is presented in which a length of wave crest heading towards the focussing region is approximated by an arc of a circle or parabola (Figure 2). Corresponding approximate solutions for linear and weakly nonlinear waves are described.

[学科分类] 建筑学

[关键词] wave focusing;wave descriptions