arXiv subjects

Germain Rousseaux

Publications and source records attributed to Germain Rousseaux.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Black hole analogues in two-dimensional flows with constant shear

We investigate the gravitational analogy for shallow water waves propagating on a unidirectional background flow with constant shear. Generalizing the standard irrotational treatment, we demonstrate that a transverse background vorticity is perfectly compatible with the existence of an effective curved spacetime for longitudinal surface waves. We extract the modified acoustic metric and show that the conformal factor, which governs wave scattering, becomes strongly dependent on the vorticity. Consequently, we find that the presence of background shear significantly suppresses the scattering of modes over an inhomogeneous bathymetry, while mildly modifying the analogue surface gravity at the transcritical horizon. These results highlight the nontrivial role of rotational dynamics in analogue gravity experiments.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Mathematical and numerical study of a model for navigation in stratified waters

We derive a linear model of navigation in a two-layer fluid with a variable velocity of the ship. A spectral version of the model including a Rayleigh damping term is analyzed. We prove that the Cauchy problem has a unique solution if the velocity and if the initial data are sufficiently regular. The case of a constant speed is thoroughly investigated and the importance of a critical speed which separates two types of regimes is pointed out. We propose a numerical scheme based on the discrete Fourier transform for the space discretization and on an exponential integrator for the time discretization. We prove an error estimate for the exponential integrator. Numerical experiments in one and two space dimensions complete the theoretical results.

math.AP↗

arXiv2025

Orbiting, colliding and merging droplets on a soap film: toward gravitational analogues

Modern telescopes provide breathtaking images of nebulae, clouds and galaxies shaped by gravity-driven interactions between complex bodies. While such structures are prevalent on an astrophysical scale, they are rarely observed at the human scale. In this letter, we report the observations of the complex orbits, collision, and coalescence of droplets on a soap film, forming structures such as bridges and spiral arms, reminiscent of their astrophysical counterparts. These dynamics emerge from attractive forces caused by gravito-capillary-driven distortions of the supporting soap film. Long orbits and intricate coalescence mechanisms are enabled by the small dissipation in the soap film and the fluidic nature of the droplets and supporting film, respectively. The existence of stable droplets within the soap film featuring a universal radius, as well as the attractive potentials, are explained through a careful comparison of experimental data with models computing the distortions of the supporting soap film. This work opens perspectives to

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2024

Vortical scattering channel in an aquatic space-time

Effective field theory descriptions of surface waves on flowing fluids have tended to assume that the flow is irrotational, but this assumption is often impractical due to boundary layer friction and flow recirculation. Here we develop an effective field theory of surface waves in an incompressible, inviscid flow that includes vorticity due to shear. Our model consists of a two-layer flow: an upper layer with no vorticity and a lower layer with constant vorticity. We consider linear, long-wavelength perturbations on top of such a flow, and find that these can be described by two coupled scalar fields admitting three elementary excitations, one more than the usual two found in irrotational flows. We compute the scattering coefficients pertaining to modes falling into an analogue black hole. Our approach provides a more realistic framework for simulating gravitational wave phenomena possibly with an internal structure mimicking quantum gravity effects in laboratory settings.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

On the art of designing effective space-times with free surface flows in Analogue Gravity

Accelerating/decelerating trans-critical flows (waterfalls/cataracts) are analogous to space-times of black holes/white fountains since the pioneering work of Sch{ü}tzhold \& Unruh in 2002. A single number is usually employed to classify trans-criticality namely the local depth Froude number which is the ratio between the local current speed and the local celerity of long gravity waves analogous to the light celerity. When the former reaches one, water waves are no more able to propagate upstream: the hydraulic black hole is a river of no return for them. At a higher level of understanding, two global dimensionless numbers, the upstream Froude number F r up and the obstruction ratio r up (the height of a bottom obstacle, the underlying geometry inducing the effective space-time, divided by the upstream water depth) are essential to distinguish subcritical, trans-critical and supercritical zones in the -F r up versus r up -hydraulic and nondispersive diagram. The relationship between both global parameters for transcritical flows turns out to be a peculiar limit of the behaviour of boats navigating in confined media like canals or locks with a generalized obstruction factor based on the ratio between the boat section and the canal section. Here, we revisit the classification of flows over obstacles in open water channel taking into account both effects of dispersion and scale, two neglected topics so far. For the first time, we give a complete classification of flows in an open water channel based on sub-pixel detection method measurements of the free surface supported by numerical simulations. We generalized the obstruction factor by a filling factor taking into account the maximum height of the water channel, a crucial parameter that was overlooked so far. Our ultimate purpose is to understand how to reproduce in the laboratory analogues of curved space-times from the dynamical point of view.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

How to create analogue black hole or white fountain horizons and LASER cavities in experimental free surface hydrodynamics?

Transcritical flows in free surface hydrodynamics emulate black hole horizons and their timereversed versions known as white fountains. Both analogue horizons have been shown to emit Hawking radiation, the amplification of waves via scattering at the horizon. Here we report on an experimental validation of the hydrodynamic laws that govern transcritical flows, for the first time in a free surface water channel using an analogue space-time geometry controlled by a bottom obstacle. A prospective study, both experimental and numerical, with a second obstacle downstream of a first one is presented to test in the near-future the analogous black hole laser instability, namely the super-amplification of Hawking radiation by successive bounces on a pair of black and white horizons within cavities which allow the presence of negative energy modes necessary for the amplification process. Candidate hydrodynamic regimes are discussed thanks to a phase diagram based on the scaled relative heights of both obstacles and the ratio of flow to wave speed in the upstream region.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Correlations on weakly time-dependent transcritical white-hole flows

We report on observations made on a run of transcritical flows over an obstacle in a narrow channel. Downstream from the obstacle, the flows decelerate from supercritical to subcritical, typically with an undulation on the subcritical side (known in hydrodynamics as an undular hydraulic jump). In the Analogue Gravity context, this transition corresponds to a white-hole horizon. Free surface deformations are analyzed, mainly via the two-point correlation function which shows the presence of a checkerboard pattern in the vicinity of the undulation. In non-gated flows where the white-hole horizon occurs far downstream from the obstacle, this checkerboard pattern is shown to be due to low-frequency fluctuations associated with slow longitudinal movement of the undulation. It can thus be considered as an artifact due to a time-varying background. In gated flows, however, the undulation is typically "attached" to the obstacle, and the fluctuations associated with its movement are strongly suppressed. In this case, the observed correlation pattern is likely due to a stochastic ensemble of surface waves, scattering on a background that is essentially stationary.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Non-linear Processes and Stimulated Hawking Radiation in Hydrodynamics for Decelerating Subcritical Free Surface Flows with a Subluminal Dispersion Relation

In \cite{PRL2011}, the authors have {\it "conducted experiments in order to verify the thermal nature of the stimulated Hawking process at a white hole horizon in a fluid analogue gravity system"} namely the linear mode conversion giving rise to negative energy waves i.e. the classical ingredient at the root of the Hawking effect in astrophysics. However, here we show that these experiments in Vancouver operated in a weakly non-linear regime that obscure them as was the case for the seminal experiments in Nice within a stronger non-linear regime \cite{NJP2008}. We finally shed some light on these matters by demonstrating that the linear conversion of water waves on a counter-current takes place with or without a dispersive white hole horizon as anticipated in the Nice experiment no matter the frequency is conserved within the entire process provided there is an absence of wave breaking during the wave-current interaction. The main novelty is the role of free (and not forced as usual in non-linear effects) harmonics generation in the interpretation of both the Nice (for at least the stimulating mode) and Vancouver (for the converted modes only) experiments. Unfortunately, the thermality of the spectrum is not demonstrated in the Poitiers reproduction of the Vancouver experiments based on the analysis of the scattering coefficients themselves and not just of their ratio as was done previously.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Visco-elastic Cosmology for a Sparkling Universe?

We show the analogy between a generalization of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation of bubble dynamics including surface tension, elasticity and viscosity effects with a reformulation of the Friedmann-Lemaître set of equations describing the expansion of space in cosmology assuming a homogeneous and isotropic universe. By comparing both fluid and cosmic equations, we propose a bold generalization of the newly-derived cosmic equation mapping three continuum mechanics contributions. Conversely, the addition of a cosmological constant-like term in the fluid equation would lead also to a new phenomenology.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2020

Classical Hydrodynamics for Analogue Spacetimes: Open Channel Flows and Thin Films

Here we review the way to build analogue spacetimes in open channel flows by looking at the flow phase diagram and the corresponding analogue experiments performed during the last years in the associated flow regimes. Thin films like the circular jump with different dispersive properties are discussed with the introduction of a brand new system for the next generation of analogue gravity experiments: flowing soap films with their capillary/elastic waves.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2020

Scattering of co-current surface waves on an analogue black hole

We report on what is to our knowledge the first scattering experiment of surface waves on an accelerating transcritical flow, which in the Analogue Gravity context is described by an effective spacetime with a black-hole horizon. This spacetime has been probed by an incident co-current wave, which partially scatters into an outgoing counter-current wave on each side of the horizon. The measured scattering amplitudes are compatible with the predictions of the hydrodynamical theory, where the kinematical description in terms of the effective metric is exact.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

The naval battle of Actium and the myth of the ship-holder: the effect of bathymetry

A myth of antiquity is explained with modern science in the context of an ancient naval battle. A legend was invoked by the admiral Pliny the Elder to explain the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra against Octavian at the naval battle of Actium. A fish, called echeneis or remora, is said to have the power to stop ships or to delay their motion by adhering to the hull. Naturalists have since studied how the fish sucking-disk with its typical pattern of parallel striae sticks to its host. Here we show the pattern of the free surface measured in a towing tank in the wake of an ancient galley is similar to the striae pattern of the fish. We have measured the bathymetry at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf that influenced the physical environment of the battle. The computations demonstrate the increase of wave resistance of a galley as a function of the draft to the water depth ratio in shallow water corresponding to the appearance of a particular wake pattern: the echeneidian free surface pattern.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2018

Viscous dissipation of surface waves and its relevance to analogue gravity experiments

We consider dissipation of surface waves on fluids, with a view to its effects on analogue gravity experiments. We begin by reviewing some general properties of wave dissipation, before restricting our attention to surface waves and the dissipative role played by viscosity there. Finally, with particular focus on water, we consider several experimental setups inspired by analogue gravity: the analogue Hawking effect, the black hole laser, the analogue wormhole, and double bouncing at the wormhole entrance. Dissipative effects are considered in each, and we give estimates for their optimized experimental parameters.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2017

Scattering of long water waves in a canal with rapidly varying cross-section in the presence of a current

The analytical study of long wave scattering in a canal with a rapidly varying cross-section is presented. It is assumed that waves propagate on a stationary current with a given flow rate. Due to the fixed flow rate, the current speed is different in the different sections of the canal, upstream and downstream. The scattering coefficients (the transmission and reflection coefficients) are calculated for all possible orientations of incident wave with respect to the background current (downstream and upstream propagation) and for all possible regimes of current (subcritical, transcritical, and supercritical). It is shown that in some cases negative energy waves can appear in the process of waves scattering. The conditions are found when the overreflection and over-transmission phenomena occur. In particular, it is shown that a spontaneous wave generation can arise in a trans-critical accelerating flow, when the background current enhances due to the canal narrowing. This resembles a spontaneous wave generation on the horizon of an evaporating black hole due to the Hawking effect.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Analogue Wormholes and Black Hole LASER Effect in Hydrodynamics

We numerically study water wave packets on a spatially varying counter-current in the presence of surface tension. Depending on the details of the velocity profile, we show that traversable and bi-directional analogue wormholes exist in fluid mechanics. The limitations on traversability of wormholes in general relativity are absent here because of the dispersion of water waves and the ability to form flow profiles that are not solutions of Einstein's equations. We observe that negative energy can be trapped between analogue horizons forming a LASER-like cavity. Six horizons are involved in the trapping cavity because of the existence of two dispersive scales, in contrast to previous treatments which considered two horizons and one dispersive scale.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Wave blocking and partial transmission in subcritical flows over an obstacle

We study and measure the transmission coefficient of counter-propagating shallow-water waves produced by a wave generator and scattered by an obstacle. To precisely compare theoretical predictions and experimental data, we consider $\sim 25$ frequencies for 5 subcritical background flows, where the maximum value of the Froude number ranges from $0.5$ to $0.75$. For each flow, the transmission coefficient displays a sharp transition separating total transmission from wave-blocking. Both the width and the central frequency of the transition are in good agreement with their theoretical values. The shape of the obstacle is identical to that used by the Vancouver team in the recent experiment aiming at detecting the analogue of stimulated Hawking radiation. Our results are compatible with the observations that have been reported. They complete them by establishing that the contribution of the transmission coefficient cannot be neglected for the lower half of the probed frequency range.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

A theoretical and numerical determination of optimal ship forms based on Michell's wave resistance

We determine the parametric hull of a given volume which minimizes the total water resistance for a given speed of the ship. The total resistance is the sum of Michell's wave resistance and of the viscous resistance, approximated by assuming a constant viscous drag coefficient. We prove that the optimized hull exists, is unique, symmetric, smooth and that it depends continuously on the speed. Numerical simulations show the efficiency of the approach, and complete the theoretical results.

math.OC↗

arXiv2013

Influence of shear-flow vorticity on wave-current interaction. Part 1: Surface gravity waves without surface tension effect

Propagation of surface waves on a background shear flow with constant vorticity is studied and compared against the case when the background flow is uniform in depth. For a shear flow with the linear vertical profile, the dispersion relation of surface gravity waves is minutely analyzed for a fluid of finite depth. Under the assumption that the background flow gradually varies in the horizontal direction, the primary attention is paid to the wave blocking phenomenon; the effect of vorticity on this phenomenon is studied in details. The conditions of wave blocking are obtained and categorized for different values of the governing dimensionless parameters.

physics.flu-dyn↗