Free-Surface Green Function

Equations for the Green function

The Free-Surface Green function is a function which satisfies the following equation (in Finite Depth) [math]\displaystyle{ \mathbf{x}=(x,y,z) }[/math] and [math]\displaystyle{ \mathbf{\xi}=(a,b,c) }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ \nabla_{\mathbf{x}}^{2}G(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{\xi})=\delta(\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{\xi}), \, -\infty\lt z\lt 0 }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ \frac{\partial G}{\partial z}=0, \, z=h, }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ \frac{\partial G}{\partial z} = k_{\infty}\phi,\,z\in\Gamma_s, }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ \frac{\partial G}{\partial z} = L\phi, \, z\in\Gamma_w. }[/math]

where [math]\displaystyle{ k_{\infty} }[/math] is the wavenumber in Infinite Depth which is given by [math]\displaystyle{ k_{\infty}=\omega^2/g }[/math] where [math]\displaystyle{ g }[/math] is gravity.

Two Dimensional Representations

Many expressions for the Green function have been given. In two dimensions it can be written as

Three Dimensional Representations

Let [math]\displaystyle{ (r,\theta) }[/math] be spherical coordinates such that

[math]\displaystyle{ x - a = r \cos \theta,\, }[/math]

[math]\displaystyle{ y - b = r \sin \theta,\, }[/math]

and let [math]\displaystyle{ R_0 }[/math] and [math]\displaystyle{ R_1 }[/math] denote the distance from the source point [math]\displaystyle{ \mathbf{\xi} = (a,b,c) }[/math] and the distance from the mirror source point [math]\displaystyle{ \bar{\mathbf{\xi}} = (a,b,-c) }[/math] respectively, [math]\displaystyle{ R_0^2 = (x-a)^2 + (y-b)^2 + (z-c)^2 }[/math] and [math]\displaystyle{ R_1^2 = (x-a)^2 + (y-b)^2 + (z+c)^2 }[/math].

Finite Depth

The most important representation of the finite depth free surface Green function is the eigenfunction expansion given by John 1950. He wrote the Green function in the following form

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{i}{2} \, \frac{\alpha^2-k^2}{(\alpha^2-k^2)d-\alpha}\, \cosh k(z+d)\, \cosh k(c+d) \, H_0^{(1)}(k r) + \frac{1}{\pi} \sum_{m=1}^{\infty} \frac{k_m^2+\alpha^2}{(k_m^2+\alpha^2)d-\alpha}\, \cos k_m(z+d)\, \cos k_m(c+d) \, K_0(k_m r), }[/math]

where [math]\displaystyle{ k }[/math] is the positive real solution to the Dispersion Relation for a Free Surface and [math]\displaystyle{ k_m }[/math] are the imaginary parts of the solutions with positive imaginary part. This way of writing the equation was primarily to avoid complex values for the Bessel functions, however most computer packages will caculate Bessel functions for complex arguement so it makes more sense to write the Green function in the following form

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{1}{\pi} \sum_{m=0}^{\infty} \frac{k_m^2+\alpha^2}{(k_m^2+\alpha^2)d-\alpha}\, \cos k_m(z+d)\, \cos k_m(c+d) \, K_0(k_m r), }[/math]

where [math]\displaystyle{ k_m }[/math] are as before except [math]\displaystyle{ k_0=ik }[/math].

Infinite Depth

In three dimensions and infinite depth the Green function [math]\displaystyle{ G }[/math], for [math]\displaystyle{ r\gt 0 }[/math], was given by Havelock (Havelock 1955) as

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{i \alpha}{2} e^{\alpha (z+c)} \, H_0^{(1)}(\alpha r) + \frac{1}{4 \pi R_0} + \frac{1}{4 \pi R_1} - \frac{1}{\pi^2} \int\limits_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\alpha}{\eta^2 + \alpha^2} \big( \alpha \cos \eta (z+c) - \eta \sin \eta (z+c) \big) K_0(\eta r) d\eta. }[/math]

This Green function will be referred to as Havelock's Green function. It should be noted that Havelock's Green function can also be written in the following closely related form,

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{i \alpha}{2} e^{\alpha (z+c)} \, H_0^{(1)}(\alpha r) + \frac{1}{4 \pi R_0} + \frac{1}{2 \pi^2} \int\limits_{0}^{\infty} \frac{(\eta^2 - \alpha^2) \cos \eta (z+c) + 2 \eta \alpha \sin \eta (z+c)}{\eta^2 + \alpha^2} K_0(\eta r) d\eta }[/math]

Linton and McIver 2001. An equivalent representation is due to Kim 1965 for [math]\displaystyle{ r\gt 0 }[/math], although implicitly given in the work of Havelock, and is given by

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{1}{4 \pi R_0} + \frac{1}{4 \pi R_1} - \frac{\alpha}{4} e^{\alpha (z+c)} \Big(\mathbf{H}_0(\alpha r) + Y_0(\alpha r) - 2i J_0 (\alpha r) + \frac{2}{\pi} \int\limits_{z+c}^0 \frac{e^{-\alpha \eta}}{\sqrt{r^2 + \eta^2}} d\eta \Big), }[/math]

where [math]\displaystyle{ J_0 }[/math] and [math]\displaystyle{ Y_0 }[/math] are the Bessel functions of order zero of the first and second kind and [math]\displaystyle{ \mathbf{H}_0 }[/math] is the Struve function of order zero.

The expression due to Peter and Meylan 2004 is

[math]\displaystyle{ G(\mathbf{x};\mathbf{\xi}) = \frac{i \alpha}{2} e^{\alpha (z+c)} H_0^{(1)}(\alpha r) + \frac{1}{\pi^2} \int\limits_0^{\infty} \Big( \cos \eta z + \frac{\alpha}{\eta} \sin \eta z \Big) \frac{\eta^2}{\eta^2+\alpha^2} \Big( \cos \eta c + \frac{\alpha}{\eta} \sin \eta c \Big) K_0(\eta r) d\eta. }[/math]