Oscillations over basins of variable depth

Abstract

This paper is concerned with oscillations of a body of water in basins of variable depth, employing a system of linearized equations which can be obtained from the theory of a directed fluid sheet for an incompressible, homogeneous, inviscid fluid (Green & Naghdi 1976a, 1977). For free oscillations over a level bottom, an assessment of the range of validity of the linearized theory is made by an appropriate comparison with a corresponding well-known exact solution (Lamb 1932). This assessment indicates an ‘intermediate’ range of validity for the linearized theory not covered by usual classical approximations for long waves. Encouraged by this assessment, we apply the linear theory of a directed fluid sheet to basins of variable depth; and, in particular, consider a class of basin profiles whose equilibrium depth (along its width) varies in one direction only. By a method of asymptotic integration, a general solution is obtained which is relatively simple and accounts for the effect of vertical inertia. The solution is sinusoidal in time, periodic along the breadth direction and involves Bessel functions of the first order in the width direction. For two special basin profiles, detailed comparisons are made between the predictions of the asymptotic solution (i.e. the frequencies in the lowest modes of oscillations) with corresponding results obtained by other procedures.