SURFACE-WAVES IMPINGING ON A VERTICAL WALL

Flow visualization experiments have been performed which consider a so litary wave impinging on a vertical wall. Several stages of motion app ear as the incident wave height is increased in subsequent runs. Small amplitude incident waves reflect off the vertical wall without a sign ificant change in shape. Higher wave amplitudes form a liquid sheet at impact, which ascends the vertical wall and has a ridge of fluid at t he leading edge. Small waves form behind the ridge, and the ridge may form droplets. Large incident wave amplitudes form spilling breaking w aves, which result in much more complicated motion in the ascending sh eet, including the formation of spray. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.