Global bifurcation structure and geometric properties for steady periodic water waves with vorticity

Abstract

This paper studies the classical water wave problem with vorticity described by the Euler equations with a free surface under the influence of gravity over a flat bottom. Based on fundamental work \cite{ConstantinStrauss}, we first obtain two continuous bifurcation curves which meet the laminar flow only one time by using modified analytic bifurcation theorem. They are symmetric waves whose profiles are monotone between each crest and trough. Furthermore, we find that there is at least one inflection point on the wave profile between successive crests and troughs and the free surface is strictly concave at any crest and strictly convex at any trough. In addition, for favorable vorticity, we prove that the vertical displacement of water waves decreases with depth.