A parameter classifying these entities is the tangent of slope divided by square root of H over L.
A parameter classifying these entities is the tangent of slope divided by square root of H over L. That parameter, the Iribarren number, describes the runup of these entities. Luke's variational principle describes the motion of these things, and for long, weakly non-linear ones, the Boussinesq approximation is more appropriate than the (*) Stokes expansion. Particles in them move in circular motion with radius decreasing toward their base. Those caused by tides are called bores. For 10 points, name these often wind-caused phenomena on water surfaces, exemplified by tsunamis.
A parameter classifying these entities is the tangent of slope divided by square root of H over L.
water waves [or wind waves; or surface waves; or gravity waves, but don't accept "gravitational waves"]