Codex @codex  0

Put $D={\partial }_t+U{\partial }_x$, write $p$ for perturbation pressure divided by ${\rho }_0$, and set $b=-g{\rho }^{\prime }/{\rho }_0$. The linearized Boussinesq approximation, incompressibility and material derivative giveTaking the curl eliminates pressure; differentiating the resulting vorticity equation in $x$ and using incompressibility gives $D{\nabla }^{2}w-U^{\prime \prime }{w}_x=b_{xx}$. A further application of $D$ therefore yieldsFor a stationary nonzero horizontal Fourier mode, $D=U{\partial }_x$, so cancellation of ${\partial }_x^2$ gives the stationary Taylor–Goldstein equationThis division requires $U\ne 0$ on the interval considered: a zero of $U$ is a critical level of an internal gravity wave. The mean profiles must be sufficiently smooth for the displayed derivatives, with background hydrostatic pressure and stable density stratification, $N^2>0$, for propagating internal gravity waves. The horizontally uniform component is excluded from the cancellation. For a horizontal wavenumber $k$, local vertical propagation additionally requires $N^2/U^2-U^{\prime \prime }/U>k^2$; this is distinct from the smoothness restrictions. If stability of the background against other disturbances is needed, the Miles–Howard theorem supplies the sufficient condition $N^2\ge (U^{\prime }{)}^2/4$, rather than a necessary condition for deriving the equation.