Weak formulation of free-surface wave equations (Q5953534)

Summary: An alternative method for deriving water wave dispersion relations and evolution equations is to use a weak formulation. The free-surface displacement \(\eta\) is written as an eigenfunction expansion, \(\eta= \sum^\infty_{n=1} a_n(t) E_n\) where the \(a_n(t)\) are time-dependent coefficients. For a tank with vertical sides the \(E_n\) are eigenfunctions of the eigenvalue problem, \(\nabla^2 E+ \lambda^2E= 0\), \(\nabla E\cdot\widehat{{\mathbf n}}= 0\) on the tank side walls. Evolution equations for the \(a_n(t)\) can be obtained by taking inner product of the linearized equation of motion, \(\rho{\partial{\mathbf v}\over\partial t}= -{1\over\rho} \nabla P+{\mathbf F}\) with the normal irrotational wave modes. For unforced waves each evolution equation is a simple harmonic oscillator, but the method is most useful when the body force \({\mathbf F}\) is something more exotic than gravity. It can always be represented by a forcing term in the SHM evolution equation, and it is not necessary to assume \({\mathbf F}\) irrotational. Several applications are considered: the Faraday experiment, generation of surface waves by an unsteady magnetic field, and the metal-pad instability in aluminium reduction cells.