Nonlinear Propagation of Wave Packets for Near-Critical Wave Numbers in a Liquid that Is Piecewise Nonuniform with Depth

This is a study of the evolution of finite amplitude wave packets at the contact surface between a semi-infinite liquid medium and a liquid located above it near a solid lid. The limiting case of near-critical wave numbers for propagation of wave packets in the liquid system is discussed. Perturbation expansions are obtained for the deviation of the contact surface from its unperturbed position and for wave numbers near the critical value. This is compared with the solution for the analogous limiting cases of one or two semi-infinite liquids. A version in which the wave numbers are far from critical is examined.