On a cylinder freely floating in oblique waves (Q6147859)

The scientific problem addressed here involves the investigation of the coupled motion of a mechanical system comprising water and a body freely floating within it. Specifically, the study focuses on the interaction between water, either infinitely deep or confined to a layer of constant depth, and an infinitely long surface-piercing cylinder, facilitating the examination of oblique waves. This setting leads to a spectral problem under the assumption of small amplitude motion near equilibrium, describing time-harmonic oscillations, with the radian frequency as the spectral parameter. The fulfilment of the radiation condition ensures that the total energy is finite and that there is an equipartition of kinetic and potential energy throughout the system. The paper proves that, under certain restrictions on their frequencies, no wave modes are trapped, extending to the cases where a symmetric cylinder has two immersed parts, with additional mode type restrictions. The employed methods involve a linear mathematical model, integral identity formulations, and various subsidiary conditions such as Archimedes' law and the stability conditions of the equilibrium position. The analysis, grounded in the linear theory of water waves, is essential for formulating geometric and other restrictions to guarantee uniqueness, which is paramount due to known examples of nonuniqueness. The study further delves into the specifics of the velocity potential and the motion of the cylinder, employing linear setting approximations and mathematical formulations to describe time-harmonic oscillations in the presence of oblique waves. This comprehensive approach allows for the detailed exploration of the problem's spectral aspects and the behaviour of the system under different conditions. The main findings of the paper reveal conditions under which trapped modes are absent, providing significant insights into the stability and dynamics of freely floating cylindrical bodies in oblique waves. The study establishes the nonexistence of nontrivial solutions for certain configurations and frequencies, highlighting the influence of the cylinder's geometry, the water's depth, and the spectral properties on the system's behaviour. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the coupled motion between water and floating bodies, offering valuable theoretical foundations for future research in the field of fluid dynamics and wave phenomena. This investigation enhances the theoretical framework for analyzing interaction of water waves with floating structures, paving the way for further studies on the uniqueness of solutions and the existence of trapped modes under various motion types. The academic rigor and methodological advancements presented in this paper offer a substantial contribution to the mathematical modelling of wave phenomena, with implications for engineering, oceanography, and related disciplines.