The dispersion relation for capillary waves on the surface of deep water is
ω2=S2∣k∣3
where S=(T/ρ)1/2,ρ is the density and T is the coefficient of surface tension. The free surface z=η(x,t) is undisturbed for t<0, when it is suddenly impacted by an object, giving the initial conditions at time t=0 :
η=0 and ∂t∂η={−W,0,∣x∣<ϵ∣x∣>ϵ
where W is a constant.
(i) Use Fourier analysis to find an integral expression for η(x,t) when t>0.
(ii) Use the method of stationary phase to find the asymptotic behaviour of η(Vt,t) for fixed V>0 as t→∞, for the case V≪ϵ−1/2S. Show that the result can be written in the form
η(x,t)∼x5/2WϵSt2F(S2t2x3)
and determine the function F.
(iii) Give a brief physical interpretation of the link between the condition ϵV2/S2≪ 1 and the simple dependence on the product Wϵ.
[You are given that ∫−∞∞e±iau2du=(π/a)1/2e±iπ/4 for a>0. ]