When a body moves through a stratified fluid, i.e. one whose density decreases upwards, gravity waves are set up and this causes a resistance to motion. An axisymmetric case is considered in which a body moves steadily and vertically through a fluid whose density decreases exponentially upwards. The fluid is supposed perfect, incompressible, and unbounded in all directions. The equations of motion are linearized, and with a fairly general initial motion of the surrounding fluid, the limit of the solution as t → ∞ is evaluated. Transform methods are used to solve the equation of motion, and the methods of steepest descents and stationary phase are used to obtain approximate solutions.

Streamlines and the distortion of the constant density levels for a spindle-shaped body are shown. The curves of resistance against a function of the velocity for the circular cylinder, the sphere, and a spindle-shaped body are also given. A criterion is given for when the maximum wave resistance for a sphere may be expected, and an estimate of this maximum resistance is made.