Synopsis

Schrödinger Win for Extreme Waves

Physics 15, s128
Researchers create the most realistic rogue waves to date, showing dynamics that follow those expected for extreme waves in more idealized systems.
Y. He et al. [1]

Suddenly appearing “rogue” waves—standing as high as tens of meters—have terrified sailors for centuries. In the 1980s, physicists found a set of solutions to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation that describes these swells, which are seen not only in water but also in light beams and plasmas, and have since applied those solutions to single-direction rogue-wave-generating systems. Now Amin Chabchoub from Kyoto University, Japan, and his colleagues show that the solutions can also capture rogue wave formation in counterpropagating wave systems [1]. These systems better represent those in the real world.

For their experiments, the researchers placed a mechanical wave generator at one end of a 30-m-long rectangular tank and a wall at the other end. Setting the wave generator going, the wall acted as a wave reflector, leading to the formation of standing waves in the tank. Team members monitored the height of the waves with wave gauges placed along the tank’s length. They also carried out simulations of the system.

The researchers’ measurements indicate that their system induces the formation of localized, “self-reinforcing” waves, whose amplitude steadily increases for a few seconds before suddenly dropping. The properties of the waves match those expected for rogue waves. The experiments and simulations suggest that there is a higher-than-expected probability of forming rogue waves in counterpropagating systems; the same trend is seen for single-direction ones.

Chabchoub and colleagues say that their experiments show the importance of exact Schrödinger equation solutions for describing extreme wave systems. They add that their study could help in predicting rogue wave formation in seas, oceans, and complex optical fiber setups.

–Rachel Berkowitz

Rachel Berkowitz is a Corresponding Editor for Physics Magazine based in Vancouver, Canada.

References

  1. Y. He et al., “Experimental evidence of nonlinear focusing in standing water waves,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 144502 (2022).

Subject Areas

Fluid DynamicsNonlinear Dynamics

Related Articles

Time Delays Improve Performance of Certain Neural Networks
Computational Physics

Time Delays Improve Performance of Certain Neural Networks

Both the predictive power and the memory storage capability of an artificial neural network called a reservoir computer increase when time delays are added into how the network processes signals, according to a new model. Read More »

Ocean Currents Resolved on Regional Length Scales
Computational Physics

Ocean Currents Resolved on Regional Length Scales

Using a detailed simulation, researchers reveal how climate change will affect the regional dynamics of the conveyor-belt-like circulation of water through the Atlantic Ocean. Read More »

A Slight Curvature Gives Pebbles an Impacting Edge
Fluid Dynamics

A Slight Curvature Gives Pebbles an Impacting Edge

Pebbles that are slightly curved—rather than completely flat—exert the highest impact forces when dropped onto a watery surface. Read More »

More Articles