Title: An asymptotic evaluation of the wave field near a smooth caustic
Abstract: The existing theory for wave refraction in shoaling water failed to describe wave behavior near a caustic because the theory gave an infinitely high wave amplitude in the immediate vicinity of the caustic. This difficulty was overcome by employing a uniform asymptotic solution involving the Airy function. The results show that when gravity waves approach a caustic, the amplitudes increase monotonically and reach a maximum immediately before the caustic. On the other side of the caustic (in the shadow region) the wave amplitudes decrease exponentially with increasing distance from the caustic. It is also found that a |π/2| phase shift occurs after the waves pass through a caustic point.
Publication Year: 1971
Publication Date: 1971-10-20
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 20
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