The Miles theory of wave amplification by wind is extended to the case of finite depth h and a shear flow with (constant) vorticity {\Omega}. Vorticity is characterised through the non-dimensional parameter {\nu} = {\Omega} U_1 /g, where g the gravitational acceleration, U_1 a characteristic wind velocity and k the wavenumber. The notion of 'wave age' is generalised to account for the effect of vorticity. Several widely used growth rates are derived analytically from the dispersion relation of the wind/water interface, and their dependence on both water depth and vorticity is derived and discussed. Vorticity is seen to shift the maximum wave age, similar to what was previously known to be the effect of water depth. At the same time, a novel effect arises and the growth coefficients, at identical wave age and depth, are shown to experience a net increase or decrease according to the shear gradient in the water flow.

The Miles' quasi laminar theory of waves generation by wind in finite depth h is presented. In this context, the fully nonlinear Green–Naghdi model equation is derived for the first time. This model equation is obtained by the non perturbative Green–Naghdi approach, coupling a nonlinear evolution of water waves with the atmospheric dynamics which works as in the classic Miles' theory. A depth-dependent and wind-dependent wave growth γ is drawn from the dispersion relation of the coupled Green–Naghdi model with the atmospheric dynamics. Different values of the dimensionless water depth parameter $\delta = \frac{gh}{U_1}$, with g the gravity and $U_1$ a characteristic wind velocity, produce two families of growth rate γ in function of the dimensionless theoretical wave-age $c_0$: a family of γ with h constant and $U_1$ variable and another family of $\gamma$ with $U_1$ constant and $h$ variable. The allowed minimum and maximum values of $\gamma$ in this model are exhibited.

This work regards the extension of the Miles’ and Jeffreys’ theories of growth of wind-waves in water of finite depth. It is divided in two major sections. The first one corresponds to the surface water waves in a linear regimes and the second one to the surface water waver considered in a weak nonlinear, dispersive and anti-dissipative regime. In the linear regime, we extend the Miles’ theory of wind wave amplification to finite depth. The dispersion relation provides a wave growth rate depending to depth. A dimensionless water depth parameter depending to depth and a characteristic wind speed, induces a family of curves representing the wave growth as a function of the wave phase velocity and the wind speed. We obtain a good agreementbetween our theoretical results and the data from the Australian Shallow Water Experiment as well as the data from the Lake George experiment. In a weakly nonlinear regime the evolution of wind waves in finitedepth is reduced to an anti-dissipative Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers equation and its solitary wave solution is exhibited. Anti-dissipation phenomenon accelerates the solitary wave and increases its amplitude whichleads to its blow-up and breaking. Blow-up is a nonlinear, dispersive and anti-dissipative phenomenon which occurs in finite time. A consequence of anti-dissipation is that any solitary waves’ adjacent planes of constants phases acquire different velocities and accelerations and ends to breaking which occurs in finite space and in a finite time prior to the blow-up. It worth remarking that the theoretical amplitude growth breaking time are both testable in the usual experimental facilities. At the end, in the context of windforced waves in finite depth, the nonlinear Schr ̈odinger equation is derived and for weak wind inputs, the Akhmediev, Peregrine and Kuznetsov-Ma breather solutions are obtained

The evolution of surface water waves in finite depth under wind forcing is reduced to an antidissipative Korteweg–de Vries–Burgers equation. We exhibit its solitary wave solution. Antidissipation accelerates and increases the amplitude of the solitary wave and leads to blow-up and breaking. Blow-up occurs in finite time for infinitely large asymptotic space so it is a nonlinear, dispersive, and antidissipative equivalent of the linear instability which occurs for infinite time. Due to antidissipation two given arbitrary and adjacent planes of constant phases of the solitary wave acquire different velocities and accelerations inducing breaking. Soliton breaking occurs in finite space in a time prior to the blow-up. We show that the theoretical growth in amplitude and the time of breaking are both testable in an existing experimental facility.

The present work concerns cuspate spits: slightly symmetrical geomorphic features growing along the shoreline in shallow waters. We develop a new formulation for the dynamics of cuspate spits. Our approach relies on classical paradigms such as a conservation law to the shoreface scale and an explicit formula for alongshore sediment transport. We derive a non-linear diffusion equation and a fully explicit solution for the growth of cuspate spits. From this general expression, we found interesting applications to quantify shoreline dynamics in the presence of cuspate spits. In particular, we point out a simple method for the datation of a cuspate spit given a limited number of input parameters. Furthermore, we develop a method to quantify the mean alongshore diffusivity along a shoreline perturbed by well-defined cuspate spits of known sizes. Finally, we introduce a formal relationship between the geometric characteristics (amplitude, length) of cuspate spits, which reproduce the self-similarity of these geomorphic features.

The present work concerns cuspate spits: slightly symmetrical geomorphic features growing along the shoreline in shallow waters. We develop a new formulation for the dynamics of cuspate spits. Our approach relies on classical paradigms such as a conservation law to the shoreface scale and an explicit formula for alongshore sediment transport. We derive a non-linear diffusion equation and a fully explicit solution for the growth of cuspate spits. From this general expression, we found interesting applications to quantify shoreline dynamics in the presence of cuspate spits. In particular, we point out a simple method for the datation of a cuspate spit given a limited number of input parameters. Furthermore, we develop a method to quantify the mean alongshore diffusivity along a shoreline perturbed by well-defined cuspate spits of known sizes. Finally, we introduce a formal relationship between the geometric characteristics (amplitude, length) of cuspate spits, which reproduce the self-similarity of these geomorphic features.

We extend the Miles mechanism of wind-wave generation to finite depth. A β-Miles linear growth rate depending on the depth and wind velocity is derived and allows the study of linear growth rates of surface waves from weak to moderate winds in finite depth h. The evolution of β is plotted, for several values of the dispersion parameter kh with k the wave number. For constant depths we find that no matter what the values of wind velocities are, at small enough wave age the β-Miles linear growth rates are in the known deep-water limit. However winds of moderate intensities prevent the waves from growing beyond a critical wave age, which is also constrained by the water depth and is less than the wave age limit of deep water. Depending on wave age and wind velocity, the Jeffreys and Miles mechanisms are compared to determine which of them dominates. A wind-forced nonlinear Schrödinger equation is derived and the Akhmediev, Peregrine and Kuznetsov-Ma breather solutions for weak wind inputs in finite depth h are obtained.