Scattering of oblique surface waves by the edge of small deformation on a porous ocean bed

Abstract

The scattering of oblique incident surface waves by the edge of a small cylindrical deformation on a porous bed in an ocean of finite depth, is investigated here within the framework of linearized water wave theory. Using perturbation analysis, the corresponding problem governed by modified Helmholtz equation is reduced to a boundary value problem for the first-order correction of the potential function. The first-order potential and, hence, the reflection and transmission coefficients are obtained by a method based on Green's integral theorem with the introduction of appropriate Green’s function. Consideration of a patch of sinusoidal ripples shows that when the quotient of twice the component of the incident field wave number along x-direction and the ripple wave number approaches one, the theory predicts a resonant interaction between the bed and the free-surface, and the reflection coefficient becomes a multiple of the number of ripples. Again, for small angles of incidence, the reflected energy is more as compared to the other angles of incidence. It is also observed that the reflected energy is somewhat sensitive to the changes in the porosity of the ocean bed. From the derived results, the solutions for problems with impermeable ocean bed can be obtained as particular cases.