Abstract
The results of laboratory observations of the deformation of deep water gravity waves leading to wave breaking are reported. The specially developed visualization technique which was used is described. A preliminary analysis of the results has led to similar conclusions than recently developed theories. As a main fact, the observed wave breaking appears as the result of, first, a modulational instability which causes the local wave steepness to approach a maximum and, second, a rapidly growing instability leading directly to the breaking.
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Abbreviations
- L :
-
total wave length
- H :
-
total wave height
- η′:
-
crest elevation above still water level
- η″:
-
trough depression below still water level
- γ:
-
wave steepness γ=H/L
- γ′:
-
crest steepness γ=η′/L
- γ″:
-
trough steepness γ″=η″/L
- F 1 :
-
forward horizontal length from zero-upcross point (A) to wave crest
- F 2 :
-
backward horizontal length from wave crest to zero-downcross point (B)
- ɛ:
-
crest front steepness ε=η′/F 1
- σ:
-
crest rear steepness σ=η′/F 2
- λ:
-
vertical asymmetry factor=F 2/F 1 (describing the wave asymmetry with respect to a vertical axis through the wave crest)
- µ:
-
horizontal asymmetry factor=η′/H (describing the wave asymmetry with respect to a horizontal axis: SWL)
- T 0 :
-
wavemaker period
- L 0 :
-
theoretical wave length of a small amplitude sinusoïdal wave generated at T sup−1inf0 frequency
- η 0 :
-
average wave height
References
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Bonmarin, P., Ramamonjiarisoa, A. Deformation to breaking of deep water gravity waves. Experiments in Fluids 3, 11–16 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00285265
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00285265