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Updated: Jul 28, 2025

Measurements of Waves in a Wind-wave Tank Under Steady and Time-varying Wind Forcing
Published on: February 13, 2018
Superscattering of water waves
Zijian Qin1,2, Chao Qian3,2,4, Lian Shen3,2
1Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation-Imaging Testbed of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Marine Electronics Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Abstract:
Inspired by the concept of superscattering in optics, we for the first time theoretically predict and experimentally demonstrate the superscattering phenomenon in water waves. The subwavelength superscatterer is constructed by multi-layered concentric cylinders with an inhomogeneous depth profile. The superscatterer breaks the long-held single-channel scattering limit by several times and thus significantly enhances the total scattering strength. The underlying mechanism originates from the near degeneracy of the resonances of multiple channels. We fabricate the superscatterer prototype and experimentally measure the near-field patterns, which are consistent with theoretical prediction and numerical simulation. Our study opens a new avenue to strengthen water-wave scattering and deepen the understanding in water waves, which can be useful for ocean energy harvesting and harbor protection.
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