Transformation of Sinusoidal Waves into Cnoidal Ones Thanks to the Depth Change Effect - 1. Low Amplitude Waves.

Experimental results on the transformation of sinusoidal waves into the cnoidal ones thanks to the depth change effect in the absence of reflection, are presented. A good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results shows the validity both of the procedure used to account for energy dissipation in the variable - depth channel tract, and of the theories of the first-order of approximation for the incident sinusoidal wave and for the transmitted cnoidal wave. This work is also an introduction into the study of the breaking up of a sinusoidal wave which, rising from a sea tract of variable depth, breaks upon a zone of minimum depth.