Combination mode of internal waves generated by surface wave propagating over two muddy sea beds (Q447484)

Summary: When a surface wave propagates over the two layer system it usually induces an internal wave in three different modes: external, internal and combinational. In the present study, the nonlinear response of an initially flat sea bed, with two muddy sections, to a monochromatic surface progressive wave has been investigated. From this theoretical result, it is shown that a surface water wave progressing over two different muddy sections, the surface wave will excite two opposite-traveling short interfacial waves, forming a nearly standing wave at the interface of the fresh water and the muddy layer. Meanwhile, two opposite-outgoing ``mud'' waves each with very long wavelength will be simultaneously induced at the interface of two muddy sections. As a result, the amplitudes of the two short internal waves are found to grow exponentially in time. Furthermore, it will be much difficult to excite the internal waves when the surface water wave is progressing over two muddy sections with large density gap.