arXiv subjects

Frederic Moisy

Publications and source records attributed to Frederic Moisy.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Preferential orientation of slender elastic floaters in gravity waves

Slender floaters drifting in propagating gravity waves slowly rotate towards a preferential state of orientation with respect to the angle of incidence. This angular drift arises from a wave-induced, second order mean yaw moment. We develop a diffractionless, hydro-elastic theory to compute this mean yaw moment for a thin, flexible structure whose width and thickness are small compared with the wavelength. For floater lengths smaller than half the wavelength, we derive a simple, predictive criterion for the preferred orientation: Soft, short and heavy floaters prefer the longitudinal state, while stiff, long and light floaters prefer the transverse state. For floaters longer than the wavelength, the orientational dynamics become more intricate and may exhibit multiple equilibrium states. We discuss the implications of the model for flexible floating structures such as pontoons and inflatable structures.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Flexible floaters align with the direction of wave propagation

We investigate the slow, second order motion of thin flexible floating strips drifting in surface gravity waves. We introduce a diffractionless model (Froude-Krylov approximation) that neglects viscosity, surface tension, and radiation effects. This model predicts a mean yaw moment that favors a longitudinal orientation of the strip, along the direction of wave propagation. The physical mechanism for this angular drift is analog to that of the standard linear Stokes drift: it originates from a slight imbalance between the stronger acceleration on the wave crests (that favors the longitudinal orientation) and the wave troughs (that favors the transverse orientation). Laboratory experiments with thin rectangular strips of polypropylene show a systematic rotation of the strips toward the longitudinal orientation, in good agreement with our model. We finally observe that the mean angular velocity toward the stable longitudinal orientation decreases as the strip length increases, an effect likely due to dissipation, which is not accounted for in our inviscid model.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and formation of viscous solitons on highly viscous liquids

Viscous solitons are strongly non-linear surface deformations generated by blowing wind over a liquid beyond a critical viscosity. Their shape and dynamics result from a balance between wind drag, surface tension and viscous dissipation in the liquid. We investigate here the influence of the liquid viscosity in their generation and propagation. Experiments are carried out using silicon oils, covering a wide range of kinematic viscosities $ν_\ell$ between 20 and 5000~mm$^2$~s$^{-1}$. \modif{We show that, for $ν_\ell> 200$~mm$^2$~s$^{-1}$, viscous solitons are sub-critically generated from an unstable initial wave train at small fetch, where the wind shear stress is larger. The properties of this initial wave train are those expected from Miles's theory of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of a highly viscous fluid sheared by a turbulent wind: the critical friction velocity and critical wavelength are independent of $ν_\ell$, and the phase velocity decreases as $ν_\ell^{-1}$.} We demonstrate the subcritical nature of the transition to viscous solitons by triggering them using a wavemaker for a wind velocity below the natural threshold. Finally, we analyze the flow field induced by a viscous soliton, and show that it is well described by a two-dimensional Stokeslet singularity in the far field. The resulting viscous drag implies a propagation velocity with a logarithmic correction in liquid depth, in good agreement with our measurements.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2017

Mean mass transport in an orbitally shaken cylindrical container

A cylindrical container partially filled with a liquid in orbital shaking motion, i.e. in circular translation with fixed orientation with respect to an inertial frame of reference, generates, along with a rotating sloshing wave, a mean flow rotating in the same direction as the wave. Here we investigate experimentally the structure and the scaling of the wave flow and the Lagrangian mean flow in the weakly nonlinear regime, for small forcing amplitude and for forcing frequency far from the resonance, using conventional and stroboscopic particle image velocimetry. The Lagrangian mean flow is composed of a strong global rotation near the center and a non trivial pattern of poloidal recirculation vortices of weaker amplitude, mostly active near the contact line. The global rotation near the center is robust with respect to changes in viscosity and forcing frequency, and its amplitude compares well with the predicted Stokes drift for an inviscid rotating sloshing wave. On the other hand, the spatial structure of the poloidal vortices show strong variation with viscosity and forcing frequency, suggesting that it results from the streaming flow driven by the complex oscillatory boundary layers near the contact line.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Viscosity effects in wind wave generation

We investigate experimentally the influence of the liquid viscosity on the problem of the generation of waves by a turbulent wind at the surface of a liquid, extending the results of Paquier, Moisy and Rabaud [Phys. Fluids {\bf 27}, 122103 (2015)] over nearly three decades of viscosity. The surface deformations are measured with micrometer accuracy using the Free-Surface Synthetic Schlieren method. We recover the two regimes of surface deformations previously identified: the wrinkles regime at small wind velocity, resulting from the viscous imprint on the liquid surface of the turbulent fluctuations in the boundary layer, and the regular wave regime at large wind velocity. Below the wave threshold, we find that the characteristic amplitude of the wrinkles scales as $ν^{-1/2} u^{* 3/2}$ over nearly the whole range of viscosities, whereas their size are essentially unchanged. We propose a simple model for this scaling, which compares well with the data. We finally show that the critical friction velocity $u^*$ for the onset of regular waves slowly increases with viscosity as $ν^{0.2}$. Whereas the transition between wrinkles and waves is smooth at small viscosity, including for water, it becomes rather abrupt at large viscosity. Finally, a new regime is found at $ν> 100-200 \times 10^{-6}$~m$^2$~s$^{-1}$, characterized by a slow, nearly periodic emission of large-amplitude isolated fluid bumps.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Surface deformations and wave generation by wind blowing over a viscous liquid

We investigate experimentally the early stage of the generation of waves by a turbulent wind at the surface of a viscous liquid. The spatio-temporal structure of the surface deformation is analyzed by the optical method Free Surface Synthetic Schlieren, which allows for time-resolved measurements with a micrometric accuracy. Because of the high viscosity of the liquid, the flow induced by the turbulent wind in the liquid remains laminar, with weak surface drift velocity. Two regimes of deformation of the liquid-air interface are identified. In the first regime, at low wind speed, the surface is dominated by rapidly propagating disorganized wrinkles, elongated in the streamwise direction, which can be interpreted as the surface response to the pressure fluctuations advected by the turbulent airflow. The amplitude of these deformations increases approximately linearly with wind velocity and are essentially independent of the fetch (distance along the channel). Above a threshold in wind speed, the perturbations organize themselves spatially into quasi parallel waves perpendicular to the wind direction with their amplitude increasing downstream. In this second regime, the wave amplitude increases with wind speed but far more quickly than in the first regime.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Scaling of far-field wake angle of non-axisymmetric pressure disturbance

It has been recently emphasized that the angle of maximum wave amplitude $α$ in the wake of a disturbance of finite size can be significantly narrower than the maximum value $α_K = \sin^{-1}(1/3) \simeq 19.47^\mathrm{o}$ predicted by the classical analysis of Kelvin. For axisymmetric disturbance, simple argument based on the Cauchy-Poisson initial-value problem suggests that the wake angle decreases following a Mach-like law at large velocity, $α\simeq Fr_L^{-1}$, where $Fr_L=U/\sqrt{gL}$ is the Froude number based on the disturbance velocity $U$, its size $L$, and gravity $g$. In this paper we extend this analysis to the case of non-axisymmetric disturbances, relevant to real ships. We find that, for intermediate Froude numbers, the wake angle follows an intermediate scaling law $α\simeq Fr_L^{-2}$, in agreement with the recent prediction of Noblesse \textit{et al.} [Eur. J. Mech. B/Fluids {\bf 46}, 164 (2014)]. We show that beyond a critical Froude number, which scales as $A^{1/2}$ (where $A$ is the length-to-width aspect ratio of the disturbance), the asymptotic scaling $α\simeq Fr_B^{-1}$ holds, where now $Fr_B = A^{1/2} Fr_L$ is the Froude number based on the disturbance width. We propose a simple model for this transition, and provide a regime diagram of the scaling of the wake angle as a function of parameters $(A,Fr_L)$.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2010

Viscous spreading of an inertial wave beam in a rotating fluid

We report experimental measurements of inertial waves generated by an oscillating cylinder in a rotating fluid. The two-dimensional wave takes place in a stationary cross-shaped wavepacket. Velocity and vorticity fields in a vertical plane normal to the wavemaker are measured by a corotating Particule Image Velocimetry system. The viscous spreading of the wave beam and the associated decay of the velocity and vorticity envelopes are characterized. They are found in good agreement with the similarity solution of a linear viscous theory, derived under a quasi-parallel assumption similar to the classical analysis of Thomas and Stevenson [J. Fluid Mech. 54 (3), 495-506 (1972)] for internal waves.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2002

Supercritical bifurcation of a hula hoop

The motion of a hoop hung on a spinning wire provides an illustrative and pedagogical example of a supercritical bifurcation. Above a certain angular velocity threshold Omega_c, the hoop rises, making an angle theta = (Omega-Omega_c)^(1/2) with the vertical. The equation of motion is derived in the limit of a long massless wire, and the calculated steady states are compared to experimental measurements. This simple experiment is suitable for classroom demonstration, and provides an interesting alternative to the classical experiment of the bead sliding on a rotation hoop.

physics.class-ph↗