Airy Wave Theory 1: Wave Length and Celerity

Wave Theories

Mathematical relationships
to describe:
(1) the wave form,
(2) the water motion
(throughout the fluid
column) and pressure in
waves, and
(3) how (1) & (2) change
with shoaling.

Well obtain expressions for

the movement of water
particles under passing
waves - important to
considerations of sediment
transport --> coastal
geomorphology.
No single theory best describes the full range of
conditions found in nature!

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Linear (Airy) Wave Theory

Originates from Navier Stokes --> Euler Equations

Works very well in deep water, but only applicable

when L >> H, so it breaks down in shallow water.

Solution is eta relationship:

George Biddell Airy (1801-1892)

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:
Convert to a general expression for Wave Celerity

Fundamental relationship in Airy Theory,

which illustrates how waves segregate
according to wave period:

Substitute the relationships for radian

frequency and wave number, respectively
to get an equation for wavelength.

Divide both sides by wave period to obtain

an equation for wave speed (celerity).

These are tough to solve, as L is on both

sides of equality and contained within
hyperbolic trigonometric function.

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:
Airy Wave Celerity: General Expression, Deep & Shallow Approximations
45 nt e
end
dep
40 d epth
only
S,
SW
35

30
Celerity (m/s)

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

25 DWS, T=14 s Genl Soln., T=14 s
DWS, T=12 s Genl Soln., T=12 s
Deep-water expression:
20
DWS, T=10 s Genl Soln., T=10 s
15 DWS, T=8 s Genl Soln., T=8 s

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0 Shallow-water expression:
0 50 100 150 200
Depth (m)

Example 1 of Shallow Water

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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Example 2 of Shallow Water Wave Speed
Tow-In Surfing

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!

Airy Wave Theory 2: Wave Orbitals and Energy

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Compilation of Airy Equations

Orbital Motion of Water Particles

Airy Wave Theory also

predicts water particle
orbital path trajectories.

Orbital path divided by

wave period provides the
wave orbital velocity.

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

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Orbital Motion of Water Particles
H=2m, T=10s, h=4000m
0.8
Horizontal
0.6 Vertical
Tangential

0.4

0.2
velocity (m/s)

0 A B CD

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Where is the wave crest? The trough? time (sec)

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

Orbital Motion of Water Particles

Deep water (h>L/2): s=d=Hekz, circular orbits whose
diameters decrease through water column to zero at h = L/2.
At water surface, diameter of particle motion = wave height, H

Intermediate water (h<L/2): elliptical orbits, whose size

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.

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Orbital Motion at the Bed in Shallow Water

The horizontal diameter at the bed simplifies to

And the maximum horizontal velocity at the bed, which

relates conveniently to the shear stress, is

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
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[dimensions] = M L L2 ; Units = joules/m2 or ergs/m2

L3 T2

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Wave Energy Flux

Differs from energy

density, as energy flux
is equal to the energy
density carried along
by the moving waves.

a.k.a. Power per unit

wave crest length

[dimensions] = M L L2 L
L3 T2 T
1 T
P= 0 h [p(x,z,t)] udzdt
[units] = joules/sec/m T
= Watts/m 1 1# 2kh &
= gH 2c %1+ (
Deep Water n=1/2 8 2 $ sinh(2kh) '
Shallow Water n=1 = Ecn

Wave Groups

The expression Cn (sometimes written Cg) is known as the group celerity.

In deep water, the first wave in a group decreases in height until it disappears and the
second wave now becomes the leading wave (Figure).

A new wave develops behind the last wave, thus maintaining the number of waves.

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Individual Waves and Wave Group Velocity

Group velocity approx. 1& 2kh #

n= 1+

cg
= / k 2 % sinh( 2kh) !"
$
~ /k

Deep Water:
2 = gk
The effect of the dispersion process is that,
cg = /k = g/2 = 1/2 c
in deep water, the group of waves travels
(use implicit differentiation) at a speed equal to the speed of the
individual waves in the group.*
Shallow Water:
This is important in forecasting wave
2 = ghk2
propagation and in particular the travel
cg = /k = (gh)1/2 = c
time of waves generated by a distant storm
(use implicit differentiation) (hint for a problem on Assignment 3).

Stokess 2nd Order Wave Theory

Airy (linear) wave theory

which makes use of a
symmetric wave form, cannot
predict the mass transport
phenomena which arise from
asymmetry that exists in the
wave form in intermediate-to-
shallow water.

The wave form becomes

distorted in shallower water.
The crest narrows and the
trough widens.

Shoreward-directed
horizontal velocity becomes
higher under the wave crest
than the offshore-directed
velocity under the trough. Waves steepen and relative depth decreases, so that
these waves are no longer considered small-
amplitude. Instead they are called finite-amplitude.

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 Orbital Motion in Finite-Amplitude Wave Theory

Due to the asymmetry of the wave form, orbital paths are not closed.

There is a net motion of the water particle in the direction of wave

advance, called Stokes drift.

Stokes drift is important because it provides a mechanism of sediment

transport on beaches, independent of current-driven transport.

Can divide drift distance by wave period to obtain drift velocity.

Shallow Water - Cnoidal and Solitary Wave Theories

Wave speed in shallow-water is influenced more by wave amplitude than

water depth.

The water particle motion is dominated by horizontal flows - vertical

accelerations are small, and Stokes's theory becomes invalid.

Mathematically complex formulations have emerged that predict shallow

water wave forms well Cnoidal and Solitary theory, which originates from
the shallow water Boussinesq equation.

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Limits of Application

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