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Consider the permanent stationary topographic internal gravity wave component of a localized source, with constant buoyancy frequency in each layer and positive $U_1,U_2$. A sufficiently broad obstacle spectrum is assumed. The dispersion relation on the upward branch in a uniform layer isFor a stationary wave, $K=(k^2+m^2{)}^{1/2}=N/U$. Differentiating before imposing stationarity gives the laboratory group velocityThe vertical component is at most $U/2$, attained at $\theta =\pi /4$. The first arrival of a stationary internal wavefront at a layer boundary is thusIf the obstacle spectrum lacks that wavenumber, the first arrival of its actual permanent wave packets is later. This statement concerns the stationary part; arbitrary long-wave startup transients are not bounded by this particular envelope.

In the lower layer an elapsed propagation time $t$ gives $x=U_{1}t{\cos }^2{\theta }_1$, $z=U_{1}t\sin {\theta }_1\cos {\theta }_1$. Elimination gives the causal envelope of stationary internal wavesLater-emitted packets fill the interior. At $t=T$ this semicircle just touches $H$ at $x=H$. At $2T$ its unobstructed continuation would reach $2H$, but rays that hit the interface must instead be refracted or reflected.

For a lower-layer ray labelled by ${\theta }_1$, its interface arrival time and point areThe refraction of a stationary internal-wave causal envelope conserves horizontal wavenumber, so $\cos {\theta }_2=(U_2{N}_1)/(U_1{N}_2)\cos {\theta }_1$. If ${\tau }_1\le t$ and $0<\cos {\theta }_2<1$, its transmitted front is parametrized byThe reflected front instead has $x=U_{1}t{\cos }^2{\theta }_1$ and $z=2H-U_{1}t\sin {\theta }_1\cos {\theta }_1$, until it reaches the ground. At $2T$ that first return just touches the ground. If the $\pi /4$ incident ray is evanescent upstairs, upper-layer propagating arrival is delayed until an allowed ray reaches $H$; this does not change the first lower-layer arrival time $T$.

The stationary phase of topographic internal waves also gives the phase sketch. In a uniform lower layer the Fourier transform integrand has phase $kx+m(k)z$. The stationary phase method requires $x=kz/m$, giving phase $\Phi =(N_1/U_1)(x^2+z^2{)}^{1/2}$. Thus the dominant permanent phase lines are downstream circular arcs centred on the obstacle. Reflected phase arcs have the image source $(0,2H)$. Upstairs the ray arriving at $(x_H,H)$ has phasewhich is continuous at the interface and determines refracted constant-phase curves. Individual monochromatic components have straight phase lines of slope $-k/m_j$ instead; the arcs describe their localized-source superposition.

The schematic uses $H=U_1=N=1$ and $U_2=U_1/2$. It shows the direct front below $H$, the transmitted front above it and the reflected front below it; dotted arcs are permanent phase curves, not material trajectories.