Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 14, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
Published on: December 4, 2017
Nonlocal resonances in weak turbulence of gravity-capillary waves
Quentin Aubourg1, Nicolas Mordant1
1Université Grenoble Alpes, LEGI, CNRS, F-38000 Grenoble, France and Institut Universitaire de France, 103, Boulevard Saint Michel, F-75005 Paris, France.
Abstract:
We report a laboratory investigation of weak turbulence of water surface waves in the gravity-capillary crossover. By using time-space-resolved profilometry and a bicoherence analysis, we observe that the nonlinear processes involve three-wave resonant interactions. By studying the solutions of the resonance conditions, we show that the nonlinear interaction is dominantly one dimensional and involves collinear wave vectors. Furthermore, taking into account the spectral widening due to weak nonlinearity explains why nonlocal interactions are possible between a gravity wave and high-frequency capillary ones. We observe also that nonlinear three-wave coupling is possible among gravity waves, and we raise the question of the relevance of this mechanism for oceanic waves.
Related Concept Videos
Sound Waves: Resonance
Standing Waves in a Cavity
Standing Waves
Reflection of Waves
Sound as Pressure Waves
The pressure fluctuation depends on the difference in displacements between the successive points in the...
Travelling Waves
Water waves, sound waves, and seismic waves are some examples of mechanical waves. For water waves, the wave propagation medium is...

