Formation of three-dimensional surface waves on deep-water using elliptic solutions of nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation

TL;DR

This paper reviews three-dimensional deep-water surface waves, introduces elliptic solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, and analyzes how wind forcing influences wave group dynamics using these solutions.

Contribution

It presents a novel application of Weierstrass elliptic functions to classify and analyze 3D deep-water waves, including effects of wind forcing on wave group evolution.

Findings

Weierstrass elliptic functions classify wave solutions based on boundary conditions.

Certain solutions reduce to known functions like hyperbolic or Jacobi elliptic functions.

Wind forcing can cause wave groups to grow, decay, or dissipate depending on parameters.

Abstract

A review of three-dimensional waves on deep-water is presented. Three forms of three dimensionality, namely oblique, forced and spontaneous type, are identified. An alternative formulation for these three-dimensional waves is given through cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. The periodic solutions of the cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation are found using Weierstrass elliptic $\wp$ functions. It is shown that the classification of solutions depends on the boundary conditions, wavenumber and frequency. For certain parameters, Weierstrass $\wp$ functions are reduced to periodic, hyperbolic or Jacobi elliptic functions. It is demonstrated that some of these solutions do not have any physical significance. An analytical solution of cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with wind forcing is also obtained which results in how groups of waves are generated on the surface of deep water in the ocean. In this case the dependency on the energy-transfer parameter, from wind to waves, make either the groups of wave to grow initially and eventually dissipate, or simply decay or grow in time.