Miles Theory Revisited with Constant Vorticity in Water of Infinite Depth

Abstract

The generation of wind waves at the surface of a pre-existing underlying vertically sheared water flow of constant vorticity is considered. Emphasis is put on the role of the vorticity in water on wind-wave generation. The amplitude growth rate increases with the vorticity except for quite old waves. A limit to the wave energy growth is found in the case of negative vorticity, corresponding to the vanishing of the growth rate.

Keywords

• shear instability
• wind-wave generation
• vorticity