arXiv subjects

Samuel Walsh

Publications and source records attributed to Samuel Walsh.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Existence and qualitative theory for stratified solitary water waves

This paper considers two-dimensional gravity solitary waves moving through a body of density stratified water lying below vacuum. The fluid domain is assumed to lie above an impenetrable flat ocean bed, while the interface between the water and vacuum is a free boundary where the pressure is constant. We prove that, for any smooth choice of upstream velocity field and density function, there exists a continuous curve of such solutions that includes large-amplitude surface waves. Furthermore, following this solution curve, one encounters waves that come arbitrarily close to possessing points of horizontal stagnation. We also provide a number of results characterizing the qualitative features of solitary stratified waves. In part, these include bounds on the wave speed from above and below, some of which are new even for constant density flow; an a priori bound on the velocity field and lower bound on the pressure; a proof of the nonexistence of monotone bores in this physical regime; and a theorem ensuring that all supercritical solitary waves of elevation have an axis of even symmetry.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

Pressure transfer functions for interfacial fluid problems

We make a consistent derivation, from the governing equations, of the pressure transfer function in the small-amplitude Stokes wave regime and the hydrostatic approximation in the small-amplitude solitary water wave regime, in the presence of a background shear flow. The results agree with the well-known formulae in the zero vorticity case,but they incorporate the effects of vorticity through solutions to the Rayleigh equation. We extend the results to permit continuous density stratification and to internal waves between two constant-density fluids. Several examples are discussed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

On the wind generation of water waves

In this work, we consider the mathematical theory of wind generated water waves. This entails determining the stability properties of the family of laminar flow solutions to the two-phase interface Euler equation. We present a rigorous derivation of the linearized evolution equations about an arbitrary steady solution, and, using this, we give a complete proof of the instability criterion of Miles. Our analysis is valid even in the presence of surface tension and a vortex sheet (discontinuity in the tangential velocity across the air--sea interface). We are thus able to give a unified equation connecting the Kelvin--Helmholtz and quasi-laminar models of wave generation.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

Reconstruction of stratified steady water waves from pressure readings on the ocean bed

Consider a two-dimensional stratified solitary wave propagating through a body of water that is bounded below by an impermeable ocean bed. In this work, we study how such a wave can be reconstructed from data consisting of the wave speed, upstream and downstream density profile, and the trace of the pressure on the bed. First, we prove that this data uniquely determines the wave, both in the (real) analytic and Sobolev regimes. Second, for waves that consist of multiple layers of constant density immiscible fluids, we provide an exact formula describing each of the interfaces in terms of the data. Finally, for continuously stratified fluids, we detail a reconstruction scheme based on approximation by layer-wise constant density flows.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Continuous dependence on the density for stratified steady water waves

There are two distinct regimes commonly used to model traveling waves in stratified water: continuous stratification, where the density is smooth throughout the fluid, and layer-wise continuous stratification, where the fluid consists of multiple immiscible strata. The former is the more physically accurate description, but the latter is frequently more amenable to analysis and computation. By the conservation of mass, the density is constant along the streamlines of the flow; the stratification can therefore be specified by prescribing the value of the density on each streamline. We call this the streamline density function. Our main result states that, for every smoothly stratified periodic traveling wave in a certain small-amplitude regime, there is an $L^\infty$ neighborhood of its streamline density function such that, for any piecewise smooth streamline density function in that neighborhood, there is a corresponding traveling wave solution. Moreover, the mapping from streamline density function to wave is Lipschitz continuous in a certain function space framework. As this neighborhood includes piecewise smooth densities with arbitrarily many jump discontinues, this theorem provides a rigorous justification for the ubiquitous practice of approximating a smoothly stratified wave by a layered one. We also discuss some applications of this result to the study of the qualitative features of such waves.

math.AP↗

arXiv2013

Nonlinear resonances with a potential: Multilinear estimates and an application to NLS

This paper considers the question of global in time existence and asymptotic behavior of small-data solutions of nonlinear dispersive equations with a real potential $V$. The main concern is treating nonlinearities whose degree is low enough as to preclude the simple use of classical energy methods and decay estimates. In their place, we present a systematic approach that adapts the space-time resonance method to the non-Euclidean setting using the spectral theory of the Schroedinger operator $-Δ+V$. We start by developing tools of independent interest, namely multilinear analysis (Coifman-Meyer type theorems) in the framework of the corresponding distorted Fourier transform. As a first application, this is then used to prove global existence and scattering for a quadratic Schroedinger equation.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

Steady water waves in the presence of wind

In this paper we develop an existence theory for small amplitude, steady, two-dimensional water waves in the presence of wind in the air above. The presence of the wind is modeled by a Kelvin--Helmholtz type discontinuity across the air--water interface, and a corresponding jump in the circulation of the fluids there. We consider both fluids to be inviscid, with the water region being irrotational and of finite depth. The air region is considered with constant vorticity in the case of infinite depth and with a general vorticity profile in the case of a finite, lidded atmosphere.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

Traveling water waves with compactly supported vorticity

In this paper, we prove the existence of two-dimensional, traveling, capillary-gravity, water waves with compactly supported vorticity. Specifically, we consider the cases where the vorticity is a $δ$-function (a point vortex), or has small compact support (a vortex patch). Using a global bifurcation theoretic argument, we construct a continuum of finite-amplitude, finite-vorticity solutions for the periodic point vortex problem. For the non-periodic case, with either a vortex point or patch, we prove the existence of a continuum of small-amplitude, small-vorticity solutions.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Steady periodic gravity waves with surface tension

In this paper we consider two-dimensional, stratified, steady water waves propagating over an impermeable flat bed and with a free surface. The motion is assumed to be driven by capillarity (that is, surface tension) on the surface and a gravitational force acting on the body of the fluid. We prove the existence of global continua of classical solutions that are periodic and traveling. This is accomplished by first constructing a 1-parameter family of laminar flow solutions, $\mathcal{T}$, then applying bifurcation theory methods to obtain local curves of small amplitude solutions branching from $\mathcal{T}$ at an eigenvalue of the linearized problem. Each solution curve is then continued globally by means of a degree theoretic theorem in the spirit of Rabinowitz. Finally, we complement the degree theoretic picture by proving an alternate global bifurcation theorem via the analytic continuation method of Dancer.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Some criteria for the symmetry of stratified water waves

This paper considers two-dimensional stably stratified steady periodic gravity water waves with surface profiles monotonic between crests and troughs. We provide sufficient conditions under which such waves are necessarily symmetric. This is done by first exploiting some elliptic structure in the governing equations to show that, in certain size regimes, a maximum principle holds. This then forms the basis for a method of moving planes argument.

math-ph↗

arXiv2009

Stratified Steady Periodic Water Waves

This paper considers two-dimensional stratified water waves propagating under the force of gravity over an impermeable flat bed and with a free surface. We prove the existence of a global continuum of classical solutions that are periodic and traveling. These waves, moreover, can exhibit large density variation, speed and amplitude.

math.AP↗