On the shape of progressive internal waves

Abstract

An expansion technique, analogous to that of Stokes in the study of surface waves, is used to investigate the effects of finite amplitude on a progressive train of internal gravity waves. The paper is divided into two main parts, a study of interfacial waves in a two-fluid system and an examination of internal waves in a continuously stratified fluid. Experimental evidence is presented which confirms some of the theoretical predictions. The validity of the Boussinesq approximation is examined and particular examples are taken to illustrate the general results.