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Write the density as a hydrostatic reference profile $\hat{\rho }(z)$ plus a small perturbation ${\rho }^{\prime }$, and define buoyancy and buoyancy frequency byThe Boussinesq approximation to the Navier-Stokes equation, together with mass conservation, iswhere $D/Dt$ is the material derivative, $\nu$ is kinematic viscosity, and $\kappa$ is mass diffusivity. Linearizing about rest and eliminating pressure and buoyancy givesFor a plane wave proportional to $e^{i(kx+mz-\omega t)}$, with $K^2=k^2+m^2$, the viscous-diffusive dispersion relation isIn the inviscid limit this becomesFor weak diffusion the two oscillatory roots areso a freely evolving Fourier mode decays.

A single plane wave is also an exact solution of the nonlinear equations. Every field depends only on its phase $\Theta =\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}-\omega t$, while incompressible flow gives $\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{k}=0$. Therefore $\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla$ annihilates both $\mathbf{u}(\Theta )$ and $b(\Theta )$, and all nonlinear advection terms vanish.

For a boundary-forced wave with real $\omega$, nonzero $\nu$ or $\kappa$ instead makes the bulk vertical wavenumber complex, attenuating the propagating beam. Because diffusion raises the spatial order of the equations, additional short vertical-wavenumber roots form viscous and scalar boundary layers; they allow a no-slip velocity condition and a scalar no-flux condition to accompany impermeability. These layers and bulk attenuation become essential near critical internal-wave reflection, where the inviscid reflected wavelength collapses.

The reduced first-order equation cannot satisfy both endpoint values. The given outer expansion satisfies $y(1)=2$ but has $y_0(0)=e$, so the boundary layer lies at $x=0$ and has stretched coordinate $X=x/ϵ$.

Write the inner expansion as $Y=Y_0+ϵY_1+\cdots$. After multiplying the differential equation by $ϵ$, it becomesAt leading order,The boundary condition $Y_0(0)=0$ and matching to $y_0(0)=e$ giveAt the next order,Matching to $y_1(0)=e(\ln 2-1)$ and imposing $Y_1(0)=0$ gives

The additive composite expansion is outer plus inner minus their common part. With $X=x/ϵ$, it isIt satisfies $y_{\mathrm{comp}}(0)=0$ exactly through the retained order, satisfies the right boundary condition up to exponentially small terms, and is uniformly accurate to $O(ϵ)$.

A viscous boundary layer is a boundary layer next to a surface in which viscosity remains important even when the outer flow has a large Reynolds number. It reconciles the outer inviscid velocity with the no-slip boundary condition.