Propagation of shallow water waves in an open parabolic channel using the WKB perturbation technique

A singular perturbation analysis based on the WKB technique to study the hydrodynamic performance of periodic ocean waves that are incident on an open parabolic channel of constant depth is proposed. We derive a linear model to predict the propagation of the long ocean waves into the channel. In this manner, the spatial distribution for the surface elevation of the ocean waves inside the channel as a function of two dimensionless parameters, namely, a kinematical parameter, Κ and a geometrical parameter ε, is governed by a second-order ordinary differential equation. The kinematical parameter Κ denotes the ratio of the potential head, due to gravity, to the kinetic head of the ocean waves along the longitudinal axis of the parabolic channel. Meanwhile, ε is a dimensionless geometrical parameter that represents a characteristic ratio of the parabolic channel. Using matching conditions, simple expressions for the reflection and transmission coefficients are obtained.