Abstract
OCEAN waves approaching a beach may be discussed by the method of geometrical optics; the frequency having been assigned, the phase velocity is determined by the depth; the rays are determined by Fermat's principle, and the wave crests are the orthogonal trajectories of the system of rays1. But it may not be generally realized that Hamilton's optical method, suitably generalized, can be used to treat a much wider class of problems of water waves. The method is essentially Huygens' construction put into mathematical form.
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Munk, W. H., and Traylor, M. A., J. Geol., 55, 1 (1947); Breakers and Surf, Principles in Forecasting, U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office, Pub. No. 234 (1958).
Synge, J. L., Handbuch der Physik, 3, 1, 124 (1960).
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PURSER, W., SYNGE, J. Water Waves and Hamilton's Method. Nature 194, 268 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194268a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/194268a0
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