Past exam of the fluids and waves course of the University of Oxford / 2017 / 3 / b / i

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.