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Two deep layers of incompressible flow with upper mass density ${\rho }_1$, lower mass density ${\rho }_2$, and tangential velocities $U_1,U_2$ have this dispersion relation when surface tension is absent. Decaying velocity potentials and the linearized kinematic boundary condition determine their amplitudes; the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface gives the displayed relation. For $k>0$ the squared departure of the phase velocity $c$ from the density-weighted mean velocity is $g({\rho }_2-{\rho }_1)/[k({\rho }_1+{\rho }_2)]-{\rho }_1{\rho }_2(U_1-U_2{)}^2/({\rho }_1+{\rho }_2{)}^2$. A negative value gives Kelvin-Helmholtz instability despite stable density stratification.

Treat the free surface as the material level set $F(x,y,t)=y-\eta (x,t)=0$. The kinematic boundary condition $DF/Dt=0$, with $\mathbf{u}=\nabla \varphi$, givesThis says that fluid initially on the free surface remains on it.

For constant mass density $\rho$, the Euler momentum equation under gravity is $D\mathbf{u}/Dt=-\nabla p/\rho -g{\mathbf{e}}_y$. Since the flow is irrotational, $(\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{u}=\nabla (|\mathbf{u}{|}^2/2)$. Integration in space therefore gives the Unsteady Bernoulli equationAt the free surface, $p=P_a$ and $y=\eta$. Adding a function $G(t)$ to the velocity potential leaves the velocity field unchanged; choose $G^{\prime }=P_a/\rho -B(t)$. With this choice the surface dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface becomesThe constant atmospheric pressure has been absorbed into this choice of potential.

The free surface is a material surface. For $F(x,y,t)=y-\eta (x,t)$, the material derivative vanishes on $F=0$. Since the velocity is $\nabla \varphi$, this gives the exact kinematic boundary condition for a free-surface graphAt the surface the pressure equals the constant atmospheric pressure. Absorbing that constant into the time-dependent potential gauge in Unsteady Bernoulli equation yields the exact dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interfaceThere is no surface-tension term in this model.

Write $\varphi =Ux+\phi$ and linearize in the small perturbation $\phi$ and the surface displacement. The base value is $F=U^2/2$, and evaluation at the displaced surface can be replaced by evaluation at zero to first order. ThusIncompressibility requires Laplace's equation ${\phi }_{xx}+{\phi }_{yy}=0$. For $k>0$, the complex perturbation $b{e}^{ky}{e}^{i(kx-\omega t)}$ satisfies this equation and decays with depth. Put $\eta =\mathrm{Re}\{a{e}^{i(kx-\omega t)}\}$ and $\Omega =\omega -kU$. The linear boundary conditions becomeThey are consistent precisely whenConsequently the two laboratory phase velocities of a deep-water gravity wave areIf propagation of a wave packet is intended, its group velocities are instead $d\omega /dk=U\pm \frac{1}{2}\sqrt{g/k}$.

Incompressibility makes each perturbation velocity potential a harmonic function. A horizontal mode $e^{i(kx+\ell y)+st}$ has $q=\sqrt{k^2+{\ell }^2}>0$. Decay away from the interface selects ${\phi }_1=A_1{e}^{qz}{e}^{i(kx+\ell y)+st}$ below and ${\phi }_2=A_2{e}^{-qz}{e}^{i(kx+\ell y)+st}$ above. The kinematic boundary condition givesInsert these into the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface and cancel a nonzero mode amplitude to obtainWriting ${\rho }_T={\rho }_1+{\rho }_2$ and $\bar{U}=({\rho }_1{U}_1+{\rho }_2{U}_2)/{\rho }_T$, completion of the square givesConsequentlyThe imaginary advection term does not change growth rates. A mode grows exponentially precisely when the radicand is positive, equivalentlyIf the upper fluid is heavier, every nonzero wavevector is unstable even without shear: this is Rayleigh-Taylor instability. If the lower fluid is heavier, gravity stabilizes sufficiently long waves, but any nonzero velocity difference destabilizes sufficiently short waves with $\ell =0$: this is Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. For equal densities, shear destabilizes modes with $k\ne 0$. A negative radicand gives purely imaginary frequencies and oscillatory modes; equality is the marginal threshold for exponential growth.

Without surface tension, the exact dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface is equality of pressure, $p_1=p_2$, at $z=\zeta$. The Unsteady Bernoulli equation in each irrotational fluid isChoose the potential gauge so that $C_i=p_0/{\rho }_i+U_i^2/2$, its unperturbed value. Expanding the kinetic term as $U_i^2/2+U_i{\partial }_x{\phi }_i$ and evaluating gravity at the displaced interface givesto first order. Equality of these pressures gives

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.

Let $F(x,z,t)=z-\eta (x,t)$. The interface is a material surface for both fluids: its material derivative vanishes on $F=0$. With $u_j={\partial }_x{\varphi }_j$ and $w_j={\partial }_z{\varphi }_j$, this givesThus the kinematic boundary condition says that particles stay on the moving interface. The tangential velocities can differ; each side has its own material derivative. Replacing both derivatives by one background speed would be incorrect.

The dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface is pressure continuity, because the fluids have no viscous normal stress and there is no surface tension. The unsteady Bernoulli equation in each layer of irrotational flow readsEquating these pressures at $z=\eta$ gives the required dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface. Choose the potential gauges so that ${\rho }_1{C}_1={\rho }_2{C}_2$, or set both constants to zero relative to a common reference pressure. For example, ${\varphi }_j=U_{j}x-\frac{1}{2}{U}_j^{2}t+{\varphi }_j^{\prime }$ removes the distinct uniform-stream Bernoulli constants without changing either velocity. Material-interface kinematics and pressure continuity supply the two matching conditions, with the Bernoulli gauge understood.

Write ${\varphi }^{\prime }=\Phi (z)e^{ik(x-ct)}$ and let $B_{\pm }$ be the displacement amplitudes at $z=\pm L$. Use subscripts $I$ for the jet interior and $O$ for the adjoining exterior. Each interface is a material vortex sheet, so its linearized kinematic boundary conditions areThe equal mass densities make the hydrostatic displacement terms cancel. The dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface therefore givesThe division form assumes $c\ne 0,V$; the preceding undivided equations remain the proper conditions in those exceptional cases. Potentials themselves need not be continuous, and their vertical derivatives need not be equal: the same material displacement is advected by different tangential base velocities. At infinity the exterior potentials decay. These displacement and pressure conditions, rather than continuity of $\Phi$ and ${\Phi }^{\prime }$, determine the equal-density top-hat planar-jet dispersion relation.

The interface is material: fluid particles on $F=z-\eta (x,t)=0$ remain there. Its material derivative therefore vanishes, giving $w_j={\eta }_t+u_j{\eta }_x=D_j\eta /Dt$ on the interface. Since $w_j={\partial }_z{\varphi }_j$, this is the kinematic boundary condition for a free-surface graph on each side. The material derivatives use the respective tangential fluid velocities; they enforce the same moving normal boundary.

The Unsteady Bernoulli equation gives $p_j+{\rho }_j[{\partial }_t{\varphi }_j+|\nabla {\varphi }_j{|}^2/2+gz]=C_j(t)$. Absorb the spatially constant functions $C_j$ into the gauges of the velocity potentials. Evaluating at $z=\eta$ and subtracting the equations yields the stated dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface. Surface tension supplies the pressure jump, rather than pressure continuity. Thus the first condition enforces material motion, and the second enforces the Bernoulli pressure balance.

Write the velocity potentials in the upper, middle and lower domains as ${\varphi }_{+}$, ${\varphi }_0$ and ${\varphi }_{-}$. Irrotational flow and incompressible flow imply the Laplace equationThe far-field boundary conditions are

Every shear layer is a material interface. The exact kinematic boundary condition at $y=h+\eta$ isand at $y=-h-\eta$ it isHere each equation is evaluated on the indicated moving interface.

Finally, pressure continuity is the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface. The Unsteady Bernoulli equation givesafter absorbing spatially constant functions of time into the potentials.

Condition (1b) is the kinematic free-surface boundary condition: fluid particles on the surface remain there, since the material derivative of $y-\eta (x,t)$ vanishes. Condition (1c) is the dynamic free-surface boundary condition, obtained from the unsteady Bernoulli equation with constant atmospheric pressure and a choice of potential gauge. Condition (1d) is impermeability: no normal flow through the horizontal bed.

Condition (1b) is the kinematic boundary condition: surface particles remain on the moving free-surface graph. Condition (1c) is the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface from unsteady Bernoulli's equation, with the surface pressure fixed at the atmospheric value and absorbed into the potential's time gauge. Condition (1d) is impermeability of the fixed horizontal bed, so its normal velocity vanishes.

The velocity potential gives horizontal and vertical velocity components $({\varphi }_x,{\varphi }_z)$. The kinematic boundary condition at each fixed impermeable wall is zero normal fluid velocity, henceLet $\eta (x,t)$ be the surface elevation. To first order in its amplitude, the kinematic boundary condition for a free-surface graph gives ${\eta }_t={\varphi }_z$ at $z=0$. The dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface fixes the surface pressure to atmospheric pressure. The unsteady Bernoulli equation, after choosing the time-dependent gauge of $\varphi$, then gives ${\varphi }_t+g\eta =0$ at $z=0$: the quadratic velocity term is second order in amplitude. Differentiate this last equation in time and eliminate ${\eta }_t$ to obtain the linearized free-surface boundary conditions in combined form,