Paper 3, Section II, 38B

Waves | Part II, 2011

The dispersion relation in a stationary medium is given by ω=Ω0(k)\omega=\Omega_{0}(\mathbf{k}), where Ω0\Omega_{0} is a known function. Show that, in the frame of reference where the medium has a uniform velocity U-\mathbf{U}, the dispersion relation is given by ω=Ω0(k)Uk\omega=\Omega_{0}(\mathbf{k})-\mathbf{U} \cdot \mathbf{k}.

An aircraft flies in a straight line with constant speed Mc0M c_{0} through air with sound speed c0c_{0}. If M>1M>1 show that, in the reference frame of the aircraft, the steady waves lie behind it on a cone of semi-angle sin1(1/M)\sin ^{-1}(1 / M). Show further that the unsteady waves are confined to the interior of the cone.

A small insect swims with constant velocity U=(U,0)\mathbf{U}=(U, 0) over the surface of a pool of water. The resultant capillary waves have dispersion relation ω2=Tk3/ρ\omega^{2}=T|\mathbf{k}|^{3} / \rho on stationary water, where TT and ρ\rho are constants. Show that, in the reference frame of the insect, steady waves have group velocity

cg=U(32cos2β1,32cosβsinβ),\mathbf{c}_{g}=U\left(\frac{3}{2} \cos ^{2} \beta-1, \frac{3}{2} \cos \beta \sin \beta\right),

where k(cosβ,sinβ)\mathbf{k} \propto(\cos \beta, \sin \beta). Deduce that the steady wavefield extends in all directions around the insect.

Typos? Please submit corrections to this page on GitHub.