Abstract
Naturally occurring soluble-surfactant slicks influence the properties of water waves. This paper describes results from wave tank experiments involving a soluble surfactant, and linear and nonlinear gravity- capillary waves. Instantaneous surface deflections were measured using optical techniques to determine the damping, phase speed, and the frequency content of the waves for wavemaker frequencies from 4 to 22 Hz. Measured linear-wave phase speed and damping agree well with existing theory at surfactant concentrations away from that leading to maximum damping. Under conditions leading to nonlinear waves, an as-yet-unexplained subharmonic wave with one-sixth the wavemaker frequency was found only with soluble surfactant present.
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Received: 3 September 2000/ Accepted: 8 August 2000
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Lapham, G., Dowling, D. & Schultz, W. Linear and nonlinear gravity-capillary water waves with a soluble surfactant. Experiments in Fluids 30, 448–457 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003480000226
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003480000226