The refraction of sea waves in shallow water

Abstract
This paper considers the changes that occur in the character of short-crested sea waves when they are refracted by a shallowing depth of water. Besides a change in mean wave-length and direction there is also a change (usually an increase) in the mean length of the crests. If the waves approach obliquely they become skew, that is, the crests become staggered one behind another.When a short-crested sea is superposed on a long-creasted swell, refraction tends to amplify the longer waves more than the shorter ones. This also produces an increase in the mean length of the crests.Numerical examples are given.

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