Three-dimensional waves on the surface of a viscous fluid

The study of the effect of viscosity on the propagation of surface waves has traditionally been confined to the consideration of plane (two-dimensional) waves [1, 2]. So far the effect associated with taking the transverse modulation of the wave profile into account have not been studied. In what follows, a solution is constructed and analyzed for linear three-dimensional periodic waves in an infinitely deep fluid. Their distinguishing property is the presence of a vorticity in the direction of propagation. An expression for the average (over the wavelength) velocity of horizontal particle drift is found in the quadratic approximation in the small wave steepness.