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Substitute $\varphi =e^{i(kx-\omega t)}$ into the mixed-derivative equation. Its left side is $k\omega \varphi$, so for $k\ne 0$ the dispersion relation, phase velocity and group velocity areThe graph of a function for each velocity is symmetric about $k=0$, singular at zero, and approaches the horizontal axis as $|k|$ grows. Energy packets travel right while their crests travel left.

At a distant fixed observer $x>0$, stationary components obey $x/t=c_g(k)$, so $|k|=\sqrt{\alpha t/x}$. As time increases their wavelength $2\pi /|k|$ decreases and their frequency magnitude $|\omega |=\sqrt{\alpha x/t}$ decreases; the crests pass toward decreasing $x$.

For the given initial spectrum the solution isThe value of a regular spectrum at the single point $k=0$ is irrelevant to this integral; a nonzero spatially constant mode is incompatible with the PDE. For asymptotic calculation assume the usual smooth localized spectrum, with sufficient integrability for the following stationary-phase steps.

At $x=Vt$, $V>0$, the phase $\Phi (k)=Vk+\alpha /k$ has stationary points $k=\pm k_0$, $k_0=\sqrt{\alpha /V}$. Their values are $\pm 2\sqrt{\alpha V}$ and their second derivatives are $\pm 2\alpha /k_0^3$. Expanding quadratically and using the oscillatory Gaussian integral gives the stationary phase leading termFor real data this is twice the real part of the positive-frequency term. If a stationary coefficient vanishes, the formula instead asserts that its contribution has smaller order. At $x=-Vt$, the phase derivative is $-V-\alpha /k^2<0$, so there is no real stationary point and no corresponding $t^{-1/2}$ wave packet. For smooth compactly supported spectra away from zero, repeated integration by parts gives decay faster than any power of $t$. More general spectra require endpoint/tail control; absence of stationary points alone does not justify that stronger rate for arbitrary $A$.

Use an acoustic velocity potential $\phi$ with $\mathbf{u}=\nabla \phi$ and $p^{\prime }=-{\rho }_0{\phi }_t$. It obeys the wave equation ${\phi }_{tt}=c_0^2{\nabla }^2\phi$. The rigid walls require zero normal velocity, hence Neumann boundary conditions on the transverse variables. Separation givesDefine ${\kappa }_{mn}^2=m^2/{\alpha }^2+n^2/{\beta }^2$. The dispersion relation, phase velocity and group velocity for positive $k,\omega$ areFor a dispersive mode, $\omega (0)=c_0{\kappa }_{mn}>0$, $c$ decreases from infinity to $c_0$, and $c_g$ increases from zero to $c_0$. The $(0,0)$ mode has $\omega =c_{0}k$ and $c=c_g=c_0$: it propagates without dispersion.

Let $\mathcal{A}={\pi }^2\alpha \beta$ be the cross-sectional area. The appropriate time and cross-sectional average at fixed $x$ isWrite $F_{mn}(y,z)$ for the product of cosines and $Q={\mathcal{A}}^{-1}\int F_{mn}^{2}dydz$. Its transverse eigenvalue and wall conditions give $\int |{\nabla }_{\perp }{F}_{mn}{|}^2={\kappa }_{mn}^2\int F_{mn}^2$ by integration by parts. The kinetic energy density and compressive acoustic energy density are ${\rho }_0|\mathbf{u}{|}^2/2$ and $(p^{\prime }{)}^2/(2{\rho }_0{c}_0^2)$. Time averaging each squared real oscillation contributes a factor $1/2$, soThis holds for every dispersive mode, and also for the zero mode.

For localized smooth initial data, a dispersive mode contains integrals of the form $\int a(k)e^{it[kV-\omega (k)]}dk$ along $x=Vt$. When $0<V<c_0$, a stationary point exists at $k_{\ast }={\kappa }_{mn}V/\sqrt{c_0^2-V^2}$. It is nondegenerate because ${\omega }^{\prime \prime }(k)=c_0{\kappa }_{mn}^2/(k^2+{\kappa }_{mn}^2{)}^{3/2}>0$. The stationary phase method therefore gives an oscillatory amplitude $O(t^{-1/2})$ for each excited dispersive mode, and for their sum under sufficient mode summability.

At $V=c_0$, no dispersive mode has a finite stationary wavenumber; with smooth localized data these contributions decay, while the nondispersive right-moving pulse retains its original amplitude. Thus a general disturbance with nonzero zero-mode component has an undiminished $O(1)$ pulse on the sound-speed ray. If that component is absent, this surviving contribution is absent too. For $V>c_0$, finite propagation speed puts a compactly supported initial disturbance outside this ray for all sufficiently large $t$, so the field is eventually zero. Rapidly localized, rather than strictly compact, data give a correspondingly negligible tail instead.

Write $u=u_x$ and $B=B_z$. In this geometry the Lorentz force density is purely longitudinal and equals $-{\partial }_x(B^2/2{\mu }_0){\mathbf{e}}_x$. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation becomes $B_t+{\partial }_x(uB)=0$. Together with the continuity equation and adiabatic pressure evolution, the four primitive-variable equations areThey have the required quasilinear form ${\mathbf{U}}_t+A{\mathbf{U}}_x=0$ withHere the notation $u_x$ in derivatives means ${\partial }_{x}u$, whereas $u$ denotes the longitudinal velocity. Spatial dependence is one-dimensional; time dependence is allowed in the wave problem.

Put $c_f^2=\gamma p/\rho +B^2/({\mu }_0\rho )$, and assume $\rho >0$ and $c_f>0$. Expansion of the characteristic polynomial givesTwo independent eigenvectors for ${\lambda }_0$ can be chosen as $(1,0,0,0{)}^T$ and $(0,-B/{\mu }_0,0,1{)}^T$. For the two propagating branches, useful eigenvectors areThe repeated branch advects an entropy disturbance and a disturbance with unchanged total gas-plus-magnetic pressure. The $\pm$ branches are perpendicular fast magnetosonic waves, with speed $c_f$ relative to the fluid.

On a uniform background, a Fourier amplitude $\hat{\mathbf{U}}{e}^{i(kx-\omega t)}$ obeys $(kA-\omega I)\hat{\mathbf{U}}=0$. Thus the eigenvalues are the phase velocities $\omega /k$ for $k\ne 0$, and the four dispersion branches are $\omega =ku$ twice and $\omega =k(u\pm c_f)$. The reduced geometry retains neither an independent transverse velocity nor an additional propagating Alfvén wave.

To construct each finite-amplitude simple wave in magnetohydrodynamics, trace a state-space curve with tangent $r_{\pm }$, using $\rho$ as its parameter. Integrating the pressure and magnetic components givesThe constants $K$ and $b$ are the entropy and transverse magnetic flux freezing invariants along this state curve. HenceSince $A{\mathbf{U}}_{\rho }={\lambda }_{\pm }{\mathbf{U}}_{\rho }$, substituting this curve into the original system reduces it to ${\rho }_t+{\lambda }_{\pm }(\rho ){\rho }_x=0$. By the chain rule,Thus the characteristic speed itself satisfies the Inviscid Burgers equation. For initial speed $L(a)$, its smooth solution is ${\lambda }_{\pm }=L(a)$ along $x=a+tL(a)$, until the characteristic curves intersect. This derivation supplies genuine state curves for simple waves, not merely a linear dispersion relation.

Suppress the common time factor $e^{i\omega t}$ and use the Fourier transform conventionA right Half-range Fourier transform is analytic above its convergence line and a left transform below it. For the limiting absorption principle with this time convention take $\omega ={\omega }_r-i\epsilon$, ${\omega }_r>0$, $\epsilon >0$, before taking $\epsilon \downarrow 0$. SetThis is the outgoing acoustic square-root branch: at a propagating real wavenumber, $\gamma \to i\sqrt{{\omega }_r^2-k^2}$. Put $J=[\tilde{\varphi }{]}_{y=-0}^{y=+0}$ and $d^{+}={\partial }_y{\Phi }^{+}(k,0)$. Across the fluid part of $y=0$, the field and its normal derivative are continuous; on the sheet both sides have the same normal velocity. The outgoing Helmholtz equation solutions therefore have equal normal derivatives and opposite scattered traces:The jump $J$ is supported on $x<0$, and so is a minus transform.

The linear fluid equation $i\omega v_y=-{\partial }_y{\rho }^{\prime }$ and the sheet velocity $v_y=i\omega \eta$ imply ${\partial }_y{\rho }^{\prime }={\omega }^2\eta$ on either face. The incident contribution to the left derivative transform is $\omega \sin {\theta }_0/(k+\omega \cos {\theta }_0)$. Writing ${\eta }^{-}={\int }_{-\infty }^0{e}^{ikx}\eta (x)dx$, it follows thatThe upward net pressure is lower minus upper, hence $P=-J$ in transform space. If $s={\eta }^{\prime }(0)$, the pinned endpoint givesCombining these identities gives the Wiener-Hopf equationThis is the plane-wave forcing of a pinned elastic half-sheet.

Let $b=\omega \sqrt{m/T}$ and assume initially that the distinguished points are distinct. Besides the branch points $\pm \omega$, $K$ has simple poles at $\pm b$. Its physical-sheet zeros $\pm k_s$ solve the fluid-loaded dispersion relationFor real positive frequency there is exactly one positive real root $k_s>\max ({\omega }_r,{\omega }_r\sqrt{m/T})$: the left side increases strictly from zero to infinity on that interval. Equivalently, with $q=\gamma (k_s)>0$, $T{q}^3+(T-m){\omega }_r^{2}q-2{\omega }_r^2=0$. Its other roots have negative real part and do not belong to this outgoing sheet. Continue $k_s$ with small absorption; $+\omega ,+b,+k_s$ lie below the real line and their negative partners above it. The Wiener-Hopf factorization assigns the lower branch cut and pole to $K^{+}$, and the upper branch cut and pole to $K^{-}$. The continued $K^{+}$ has a zero at $+k_s$, and $K^{-}$ at $-k_s$; these are poles of their reciprocals, rather than poles of the factors. Branch cuts can be drawn away from the real line into the corresponding half-planes.

For this standard assignment a common strip of analyticity and nonvanishing isThe strip shrinks to the real contour as absorption is removed. The factors continue meromorphically beyond their designated half-planes; the allocation of the poles and branch points is part of the radiation condition. The incident pole $-\omega \cos {\theta }_0$ belongs above the inversion contour. For incidence with $0<{\theta }_0<\pi /2$ the real contour is a direct choice. Other nongrazing angles are obtained by analytic continuation with the incident pole kept on its prescribed side, deforming the contour locally if necessary. Coincident distinguished points and grazing incidence are treated by the corresponding limits, not by dividing by a coincident pole.

Divide the Wiener-Hopf equation by $K^{+}$ and use pole subtraction in a Wiener-Hopf equation. With $a=\omega \cos {\theta }_0$, the minus part of $F/K^{+}$ isIndeed these are exactly the incident-pole and upper bare-sheet-pole residues. At the lower bare-sheet pole $+b$, the forcing pole is canceled by the pole of $K^{+}$ before splitting. Thus $B^{+}=F/K^{+}-B^{-}$ is analytic on the plus side of the contour. The separated equation isWith the stipulated $E=0$,The scattered field is consequentlyThe full time-dependent density perturbation is the incident field plus $e^{i\omega t}\varphi$. The two traces at $y=0$ follow by limiting from above and below. A constant rescaling of the two factors does not change this field.

To determine the endpoint slope, reconstruct the sheet transform using the fluid condition:At $+b$ the continued $K^{+}$ has residue $-{\omega }^2/(2Tb{K}^{-}(b))$. Therefore the derivative transform $d^{+}$ generically has the lower-plane poleThis pole produces a forbidden incoming bare-sheet wave in the reconstructed displacement: $e^{i\omega t-ibx}$ travels towards the endpoint from $x=-\infty$. A minus transform of the specified outgoing solution must be analytic there. The incoming-pole cancellation at a pinned membrane edge is preciselyFor generic parameters this determinesThe lower pole is removed; the upper zero $-k_s$ of $K^{-}$ can still produce the legitimate outgoing evanescent acoustic surface wave, whose phase travels to negative $x$. This distinction separates the spurious bare-sheet wave from the coupled fluid-loaded mode. No explicit factorization has been used.

Use the horizontal streamfunction convention $(u,v)=(-{\psi }_y,{\psi }_x)$, and set $a=\pi /L$, $k_d^2=f_0^2/(g{H}_0)$. Geostrophic balance gives $f_0\bar{u}=-g{\bar{\eta }}_y$, henceThe constant is fixed by the total volume or the reference surface height. To obtain shallow-water quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity, require a small Rossby number, nearly geostrophic horizontal motion and $|\eta |/H_0\ll 1$. Expanding the exact shallow-water potential vorticity givesAt leading nontrivial order $\zeta ={\nabla }_h^2\psi$, so after removing the constant background and multiplying by $H_0$,The mean potential vorticity and its gradient areWith $\psi =\bar{\psi }+{\psi }^{\prime }$ and $q=\bar{q}+q^{\prime }$, expand the Jacobian. Since both mean fields depend only on $y$, their Jacobian vanishes. The two mixed terms are $\bar{u}{q}_x^{\prime }$ and $v^{\prime }{\bar{q}}_y$, givingThe PDF has this correct mean-advection term; the TeX aid incorrectly inserts a division by $\partial x$.

Drop the quadratic perturbation Jacobian. Freeze $\bar{u}$ and ${\bar{q}}_y$ locally for a short-wave plane wave, with $K^2=k^2+l^2$ and $D=K^2+k_d^2$. Then $q^{\prime }=-D{\psi }^{\prime }$, $v^{\prime }=ik{\psi }^{\prime }$, and the local Rossby-wave dispersion relation in a zonal jet isThe intrinsic phase moves against an eastward mean flow because $\omega -k\bar{u}=-k{\bar{q}}_y/D$.

The printed wavelength bound is not a consequence of these equations. The local short-wave assumption is $K/a\gg 1$, equivalently wavelength $2\pi /K\ll 2L$; a particular cutoff $L/2$ is an optional scale-separation criterion, not a universal derived threshold. If one requires the ground-frame phase to follow the mean current, the dispersion relation only gives $K>a$, or wavelength less than $2L$. For example $K=2a,l=0$ has wavelength $L$ and a phase moving with the mean. More decisively, the stationary condition requested next fixes wavelength $2L$, contradicting a bound $L/2$ if both are imposed on the same waves.

For nonzero zonal $k$ and mean velocity, a ground-stationary wave satisfiesIt has the background length scale, so its existence should not be justified solely by the short-wave approximation. It is nevertheless an exact stationary linear solution of the Rossby-wave equation for a sheared zonal current: writing ${\psi }^{\prime }=F(y)e^{ikx}$ gives $\bar{u}[F^{\prime \prime }-(k^2+k_d^2)F]+{\bar{q}}_{y}F=0$, which reduces to $F^{\prime \prime }+(a^2-k^2)F=0$. Thus $F=e^{ily}$ with $k^2+l^2=a^2$ works globally. Indeed the total field then has $q=-(a^2+k_d^2)\psi +$ a constant, so its full Jacobian vanishes as well.

Differentiating the local dispersion relation givesOn the stationary circle this becomesFor a purely zonal wavevector, $l=0$, this is the printed expression ${\mathbf{c}}_g=2\bar{u}{K}^2\hat{\mathbf{x}}/(K^2+k_d^2)$. With $l\ne 0$ the printed expression needs a directional qualification; the general vector is the one above. Here stationarity means $\omega =0$ in the ground frame, not vanishing intrinsic frequency in the moving fluid.

A stationary obstacle can therefore anchor the phase pattern while wave energy travels away from it. The zonal group component has the mean-flow sign, so an eastward jet carries the stationary wave response downstream; tilted wavevectors also carry energy meridionally. This is the usual stationary Rossby wave wake distinction between fixed phase crests and propagating wave energy.

The free surface is a material surface, so its kinematic boundary condition isWith constant atmospheric pressure $p_a$ and no surface tension, the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface follows from Unsteady Bernoulli equation:Write $\varphi =Ux+\phi$, where $\phi$ and $\eta$ are small. Choose the time-dependent potential gauge so the undisturbed right-hand side is $U^2/2$. Retaining first-order terms, evaluated at $y=0$, givesThe incompressibility condition also gives Laplace's equation for $\phi$.

Set $\Omega =\omega -kU$. Substitution of the specified normal mode into the two linearized boundary conditions yields $-i\Omega a=ikb$ and $\Omega b+ga=0$. Eliminating $b$ gives the dispersion relationThe decay factor $e^{ky}$ in a fluid extending to $y=-\infty$ uses $k>0$. With signed wavenumber the decaying factor is $e^{|k|y}$ and the right-hand side is $g|k|$. The frequency shift is the advection of a deep-water gravity wave by the uniform current.

Use the nonrotating linear Boussinesq approximation with reference density ${\rho }_0$ and $N^2=-(g/{\rho }_0)d\bar{\rho }/dz>0$:Let $K_h^2=k^2+l^2>0$, $K^2=K_h^2+m^2$ and $E=e^{i(kx+ly+mz-\omega t)}$. The horizontal momentum equations give $u^{\prime }=k{p}^{\prime }/({\rho }_0\omega )$ and $v^{\prime }=l{p}^{\prime }/({\rho }_0\omega )$. Continuity requires $k{u}^{\prime }+l{v}^{\prime }+m{w}^{\prime }=0$. Thus the internal-wave polarization isPhysical perturbations are the real parts. The density is in temporal quadrature with the vertical velocity, because buoyancy responds to the vertical fluid displacement. Substitution into the vertical momentum equation determines the internal gravity wave dispersion relation,A nontrivial propagating wave requires a nonzero horizontal wave vector and a nonzero frequency. The formulas are not to be divided by $K_h^2=0$: incompressibility excludes a nonzero oscillatory vertical velocity for a purely vertical wave vector.

Take $k>0$ without loss of generality, so $\alpha =kh/2>0$, and require decay as $Z\to \pm \infty$. The base velocity is $\tilde{U}=Z$ everywhere; there is no jump in its derivative. Let $C=\tilde{c}$ and $E=e^{-2\alpha }$. A decaying representation that already solves the layer equations isIt is continuous at both interfaces. At $Z=-1$ the value is $A+BE$ and the derivative jump is $-2\alpha A$; at $Z=1$ they are $B+AE$ and $-2\alpha B$. The density anomaly drops by one across each interface. The jump conditions for stratified inviscid shear flow therefore reduce toFor nonreal $C$ the displacement denominators do not vanish. Neutral limiting values are obtained by continuation, rather than by dividing by zero at an interface.

Set $q=J/(2\alpha )$. A nonzero mode requires the determinant to vanish:Expansion gives the dispersion relation for two density interfaces in uniform shear,Uniform shear throughout the exterior is important: replacing it with constant exterior velocities would introduce vorticity jumps and give a different dispersion relation.

Substitution of a normal mode gives the dispersion relationFor real $k$, $\sigma$ is the temporal growth rate. Since $\beta \ne 0$, its supremum is finite exactly whenFor $\beta <0$, arbitrarily short wavelengths grow arbitrarily fast. For $\beta >0$, the finite maximum temporal growth rate isThe Briggs-Bers criterion starts the inverse temporal Laplace transform above all temporal singularities and then deforms its contour downward while following the spatial roots. A finite growth bound supplies such an initial contour and a causal, high-frequency-controlled Green function. Unbounded temporal growth prevents that standard construction.

For absolute wave-packet instability, a candidate spatial pinch point must satisfy $D=0$, $D_k=0$, and $\mathrm{Im}\omega >0$. HeregivesThus candidate growing saddles require $\gamma <0$ at $k_0$, or $\gamma <{\alpha }^2/(4\beta )$ at $k_{\pm }$. Together with $\beta >0$, existence of at least one such candidate requires $\gamma <{\alpha }^2/(4\beta )$.

A growing double root is not sufficient: the roots must pinch the spatial inversion contour from opposite sides. Collisions of branches originating in the same spatial half-plane do not obstruct the relevant deformation. This distinction is part of the Briggs-Bers criterion; it is stated, for example, in the primary study doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.195.

An explicit false spatial saddle in quartic dispersion is $\alpha =-2$, $\beta =1$, $\gamma =1/2$. Its candidates $k=\pm i$ have $\omega =i/2$, but all real modes have $\sigma =-k^4-2k^2-1/2<0$. Each imaginary collision joins two branches in the same half-plane; neither is a relevant pinch. For $\omega =i\Omega$, the spatial roots obey $k^2=-1\pm \sqrt{1/2-\Omega }$, making those same-half-plane collisions transparent as $\Omega \downarrow 1/2$.

For this particular real, even dispersion relation one can also establish the actual threshold directly. At the origin its impulse Green function isLaplace method selects the real maximum, and gives a positive prefactor times $t^{-1/2}{e}^{{\sigma }_{\max }t}$ because $\alpha \ne 0$. Therefore the actual absolute wave-packet instability condition isThese are sufficient for this model as well as necessary. They follow after identifying relevant real saddles; the earlier algebraic double-root test alone lacks the pinch information. Equality is marginal, not exponential absolute growth.

For the motionless uniform layer, the heat equation reduces to $T_{zz}=0$. The lower temperature and upper heat-transfer condition determine the quasistatic temperature of a conductively cooled film:When $\alpha h/\kappa \ll 1$, $T_s=T_0-\Delta T\alpha h/\kappa +O(\Delta T(\alpha h/\kappa {)}^2)$. For a varying film let its vertical velocity scale as $Uh/L$, as required by incompressible flow. Relative to vertical thermal diffusion, horizontal thermal diffusion is smaller by $(h/L{)}^2$, and either horizontal or vertical thermal advection is smaller by $U{h}^2/(\kappa L)$. Time variation on the film's transport timescale $L/U$ has the same small factor. Thus the leading heat equation is again $T_{zz}=0$ at each $x,t$ when both specified dimensionless parameters are small. This argument retains the small $\alpha h/\kappa$ assumption. If thickness were externally varied on a faster timescale $t_h$, one would additionally need $h^2/(\kappa t_h)\ll 1$; the spatial conditions alone do not control arbitrary rapid time dependence.

Define $b={\gamma }^{\prime }\Delta T\alpha /\kappa >0$. The surface tension at the surface is ${\gamma }_s={\gamma }_0+bh$, so the Marangoni stress is ${\gamma }_{s,x}=b{h}_x$. With capillary pressure $p=-{\gamma }_0{h}_{xx}$ to leading order, horizontal Stokes flow in the film solves $\mu u_{zz}=p_x$, $u(0)=0$, $\mu u_z(h)={\gamma }_{s,x}$. HenceThe continuity equation gives the thermocapillary thin-film equationTo justify using constant surface tension in the capillary pressure, compare the two volume fluxes on horizontal scale $L$: their magnitudes are ${\gamma }_0{h}^4/(3\mu L^3)$ and $b{h}^3/(2\mu L)$. When both mechanisms are retained at leading order, their balance gives $bh/{\gamma }_0=O((h/L{)}^2)\ll 1$. Thus replacing ${\gamma }_s$ by ${\gamma }_0$ in the curvature term incurs only a relative small correction. Equivalently, small $\alpha h/\kappa$ ensures this if ${\gamma }^{\prime }\Delta T/{\gamma }_0$ is bounded; if it were parametrically large, the extra small surface-tension-variation condition would have to be imposed separately.

The capillary pressure is higher beneath a crest than beneath a trough, so pressure-driven volume flux drains the crest and smooths thickness. The Marangoni effect acts oppositely: a thicker region has a colder surface and therefore larger surface tension. Surface velocity is pulled towards that region, supplying more liquid and amplifying the thickness variation. The arrows below represent these two mechanisms separately.

Put $a_c={\gamma }_0/(3\mu )$ and $a_m=b/(2\mu )$. Substitution of $h=\hat{h}H$, $x=\hat{h}X/ϵ$, $t=\hat{t}\tau$ gives coefficients $a_m{ϵ}^2\hat{t}$ and $a_c{ϵ}^4\hat{t}/\hat{h}$. Making both equal to one yieldsIn these scales the fractional surface tension change is $b\hat{h}/{\gamma }_0=2{ϵ}^2/3$, making the previous approximation explicit.

The linear stability analysis about $H=1$ gives ${\eta }_{\tau }+{\eta }_{XX}+{\eta }_{XXXX}=0$. For a normal mode $e^{s\tau +ikX}$,Long waves with $0<|k|<1$ grow, $|k|>1$ decay, and $k=0,\pm 1$ are neutral. The neutral $k=0$ mode changes the mean film thickness. The dispersion relation is even in $k$, with its two maxima at $\pm 1/\sqrt{2}$.

For a steady positive film with zero volume flux, divide $H^2{H}_X+H^3{H}_{XXX}=0$ by $H^3$ and integrate to obtain $H_{XX}+\ln H=C$. Choosing $\hat{h}$ as specified fixes $C=0$. Multiplication by $H_X$ and another integration then give the zero-flux thermocapillary film profiles first integralFor $H>0$, $V^{\prime }=\ln H$ and $V^{\prime \prime }=1/H>0$: the unique minimum is $V(1)=-1$, while $V(0^{+})=0$ and $V(e)=0$. This potential energy interpretation classifies the profiles without assuming a sinusoidal shape at finite amplitude.

For $E=-1$, the only profile is the uniform film $H=1$. For $-1<E<0$, there are two positive turning heights $H_{-}<1<H_{+}<e$ and a smooth periodic film oscillates between them. Its period isFor $E=0$, the maximum is $e$ and the lower endpoint is zero. A drop reaches zero thickness in finite distance, with zero limiting slope but unbounded curvature since $H_{XX}=-\ln H$. Its half-width isThus the formal limiting profile consists of drops of peak height $e$ and footprint width $2\sqrt{\pi e}$, with zero limiting contact angle. Identical drops can touch, or a zero-thickness region can separate them in the degenerate zero-flux model. These are limiting wet-region solutions, not everywhere positive twice differentiable films; the singular contact region is not resolved by lubrication theory. A useful parametric drop profile isFinally let $E=-1+\delta E$ with small positive $\delta E$. Writing $H=1+\eta$ gives $V=-1+{\eta }^2/2+O({\eta }^3)$ and $H_{XX}=-\eta +O({\eta }^2)$. The small-amplitude steady profile is $H=1+\sqrt{2\delta E}\cos (X-X_c)+O(\delta E)$, with period tending to $2\pi$. Its wavenumber tends to the neutral boundary $|k|=1$ of the unstable band, not to the fastest-growing wavenumber.