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Abstract Periodic traveling waves are numerically computed in a constant vorticity flow subject to the force of gravity. The Stokes wave problem is formulated via a conformal mapping as a nonlinear pseudodifferential equation, involving a periodic Hilbert transform for a strip, and solved by the Newton‐GMRES method. For strong positive vorticity, in the finite or infinite depth, overhanging profiles are found as the amplitude increases and tend to a touching wave, whose surface contacts itself at the trough line, enclosing an air bubble; numerical solutions become unphysical as the amplitude increases further and make a gap in the wave speed versus amplitude plane; another touching wave takes over and physical solutions follow along the fold in the wave speed versus amplitude plane until they ultimately tend to an extreme wave, which exhibits a corner at the crest. Touching waves connected to zero amplitude are found to approach the limiting Crapper wave as the strength of positive vorticity increases unboundedly, while touching waves connected to the extreme waves approach the rigid body rotation of a fluid disk.
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Almost extreme waves
Numerically computed with high accuracy are periodic travelling waves at the free surface of a two-dimensional, infinitely deep, and constant vorticity flow of an incompressible inviscid fluid, under gravity, without the effects of surface tension. Of particular interest is the angle the fluid surface of an almost extreme wave makes with the horizontal. Numerically found are the following. (i) There is a boundary layer where the angle rises sharply from $$0^\circ$$ at the crest to a local maximum, which converges to $$30.3787\ldots ^\circ$$ , independently of the vorticity, as the amplitude increases towards that of the extreme wave, which displays a corner at the crest with a $$30^\circ$$ angle. (ii) There is an outer region where the angle descends to $$0^\circ$$ at the trough for negative vorticity, while it rises to a maximum, greater than $$30^\circ$$ , and then falls sharply to $$0^\circ$$ at the trough for large positive vorticity. (iii) There is a transition region where the angle oscillates about $$30^\circ$$ , resembling the Gibbs phenomenon. Numerical evidence suggests that the amplitude and frequency of the oscillations become independent of the vorticity as the wave profile approaches the extreme form.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2009981
- PAR ID:
- 10454969
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Fluid Mechanics
- Volume:
- 955
- ISSN:
- 0022-1120
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2022.1047
