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Water-wave instability induced by a drift layer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2006

E. A. Caponp ,
H. C. Yuen ,
F. A. Milinazzo  and
P G. Saffman
E. A. Caponp
Affiliation:
TRW Redondo Beach, CA 90278, USA
H. C. Yuen
Affiliation:
TRW Redondo Beach, CA 90278, USA
F. A. Milinazzo
Affiliation:
Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC, Canada
P G. Saffman
Affiliation:
Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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Abstract

A simple water-wave instability induced by a shear flow is re-examined, using a cubic equation first derived by Stern & Adam (1973) for a piecewise constant vorticity model. The instability criteria and the growth rate are computed. It is found that this mechanism is effective only if the surface drift velocity exceeds the minimum wave speed for capillary–gravity waves, and only if the drift-layer thickness lies within a band which depends on the wavelength and the drift velocity.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 222 , January 1991 , pp. 207 - 213
Copyright
© 1991 Cambridge University Press

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References

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