surface gravity wave

A wave that propagates, typically, on the surface of water under the influence of buoyancy forces. In water of uniform depth H, the dispersion relationship is given by squared frequency

in which k is the wavenumber and g is the acceleration of gravity. In shallow water, when the wavelength is much larger than the fluid depth, the waves are nondispersive; the dispersion relationship is then

in which phase speed c = (gH)^½. In deep water the waves have the dispersion relationship