Miguel Onorato

Università degli Studi di Torino | UNITO · Department of Physics

We report on an experimental study of a device composed by an array of submerged, reversed and periodic cylindrical pendula (resonators), whose objective is the attenuation of surface gravity waves. The idea is inspired by the concept of metamaterials, i.e. engineered structures designed to interact with waves and manipulate their propagation prope...

Stokes drift is a classical fluid effect in which travelling waves transfer momentum to tracers of the fluid, resulting in a non-zero drift velocity in the direction of the incoming wave. This effect is the driving mechanism allowing particles, i.e. impurities, to be transported by the flow; in a classical (viscous) fluid this happens usually due t...

In the relaxation zone method for numerical wave tank modelling, the numerical fields are usually relaxed in the generation zone to the solution given by the potential theory. In the adopted procedure, the two-phase viscous flow is blended with the potential solution and this underlying inconsistency in the generation region can lead to instability...

The EUSO@TurLab project aims at performing experiments to reproduce Earth UV emissions as seen from a low Earth orbit by the planned missions of the JEM-EUSO program. It makes use of the TurLab facility, which is a laboratory, equipped with a 5 m diameter and 1 m depth rotating tank, located at the Physics Department of the University of Turin. All...

Nature has engineered complex designs to achieve advanced properties and functionalities through millions of years of evolution. Many organisms have adapted to their living environments by producing extremely efficient materials and structures exhibiting optimized mechanical, thermal, and optical properties, which current technology is often unable...

One-dimensional particle chains are fundamental models to explain anomalous thermal conduction in low-dimensional solids such as nanotubes and nanowires. In these systems the thermal energy is carried by phonons, i.e., propagating lattice oscillations that interact via nonlinear resonance. The average energy transfer between the phonons can be desc...

The marginal ice zone is the dynamic interface between the open ocean and consolidated inner pack ice. Surface gravity waves regulate marginal ice zone extent and properties, and, hence, atmosphere-ocean fluxes and ice advance/retreat. Over the past decade, seminal experimental campaigns have generated much needed measurements of wave evolution in...

The aim of this paper is to introduce a fully nonlinear numerical finite element solver for the simulation of nonlinear wave processes in the presence of a solid ice sheet. In this study, solid ice cover referred to the size of the ice sheet and denoted that the length of the ice sheet was many times larger than the longest relevant wavelength. The...

One-dimensional particle chains are fundamental models to explain anomalous thermal conduction in low-dimensional solids like nanotubes and nanowires. In these systems the thermal energy is carried by phonons, i.e. propagating lattice oscillations that interact via nonlinear resonance. The average energy transfer between the phonons is described by...

Nature has engineered complex designs to achieve advanced properties and functionalities through evolution, over millions of years. Many organisms have adapted to their living environment producing extremely efficient materials and structures exhibiting optimized mechanical, thermal, optical properties, which current technology is often unable to r...

We predict negative temperature states in the discrete nonlinear Schödinger (DNLS) equation as exact solutions of the associated wave kinetic equation. Within the wave kinetic approach, we define an entropy that results monotonic in time and reaches a stationary state, that is consistent with classical equilibrium statistical mechanics. We also per...

In many physical systems such as ocean waves, nonlinear optics, plasma physics etc., extreme events and rare fluctuations of a wave field have been widely observed and discussed. In the field of oceanography and naval architecture, their understanding is fundamental for a correct design of platforms and ships, and for performing safe operations at...

A physical model is discussed that mimics the interaction between ocean waves and a multitude of loose pancake ice floes, which form the outer edge of the Arctic and Antarctic marginal ice zones during winter sea ice formation. The pancakes were modeled by using ice cubes with different concentrations, while waves were generated mechanically. The i...

Metamaterials and photonic/phononic crystals have been successfully developed in recent years to achieve advanced wave manipulation and control, both in electromagnetism and mechanics. However, the underlying concepts are yet to be fully applied to the field of fluid dynamics and water waves. Here, we present an example of the interaction of surfac...

Significance Modulation instability (MI) is a ubiquitous phenomenon in physics, corresponding to the growth of a weakly modulated continuous wave in a nonlinear medium and leading to the generation of a large-amplitude periodic wave train. In space, it transforms weakly modulated plane waves into spatially periodic patterns. In frequency domain, th...

In this paper a fully Eulerian solver for the study of multiphase flows for simulating the propagation of surface gravity waves over submerged bodies is presented. We solve the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations coupled with the volume of fluid technique for the modeling of the liquid phases with the inteface, an immersed body method for the so...

Metamaterials and photonic/phononic crystals have been successfully developed in recent years to achieve advanced wave manipulation and control, both in electromagnetism and mechanics. However, the underlying concepts are yet to be fully applied to the field of fluid dynamics and water waves. Here, we present an example of the interaction of surfac...

Propagation of energetic surface gravity waves over a $>40$\,km transect of the winter Antarctic marginal ice zone comprised of pancake floes and interstitial frazil ice during an explosive polar cyclone are presented, obtained with a shipborne stereo-camera system. The waves are shown to attenuate at an exponential rate over distance, but, despite...

We consider a diatomic chain characterized by a cubic anharmonic potential. After diagonalizing the harmonic case, we study in the new canonical variables, the nonlinear interactions between the acoustical and optical branches of the dispersion relation. Using the {\it wave turbulence} approach, we formally derive two coupled wave kinetic equations...

Large scale elastic metamaterials have recently attracted increasing interest in the scientific community for their potential as passive isolation structures for seismic waves. In particular, so-called “seismic shields” have been proposed for the protection of large areas where other isolation strategies (e.g. dampers) are not workable solutions. I...

We predict negative temperature states in the Discrete Nonlinear Sch\"odinger equation as exact solutions of the associated Wave Kinetic equation. Those solutions are consistent with the classical thermodynamics formalism. Explicit calculation of the entropy as a function of the energy and number of particles is performed analytically. Direct numer...

Soliton and breather solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) are known to model localized structures in nonlinear dispersive media such as on the water surface. One of the conditions for an accurate propagation of such exact solutions is the proper generation of the exact initial phase-shift profile in the carrier wave, as defined by...

The classical theory of modulation instability (MI) attributed to Bespalov-Talanov in optics and Benjamin-Feir for water waves is just a linear approximation of nonlinear effects and has limitations that have been corrected using the exact weakly nonlinear theory of wave propagation. We report results of experiments in both, optics and hydrodynamic...

Starting from action-angle variables and using a standard asymptotic expansion, we present an original and coincise derivation of the Wave Kinetic equation for a resonant process of the type $2 \leftrightarrow 2$. Despite not being more rigorous than others, our procedure has the merit of being straightforward; it allows for a direct control of the...

We examine and discuss the spatial evolution of the statistical properties of mechanically generated surface gravity wave fields, initialized with unidirectional spectral energy distributions, uniformly distributed phases, and Rayleigh distributed amplitudes. We demonstrate that nonlinear interactions produce an energy cascade towards high frequenc...

Commonly, thermal transport properties of one-dimensional systems are found to be anomalous. Here, we perform a numerical and theoretical study of the β-Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou chain, considered a prototypical model for one-dimensional anharmonic crystals, in contact with thermostats at different temperatures. We give evidence that, in steady stat...

Soliton and breather solutions of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLSE) are known to model localized structures in nonlinear dispersive media such as on the water surface. One of the conditions for an accurate propagation of such exact solutions is the proper generation of the exact initial phase-shift profile in the carrier wave, as defined...

In this paper a fully Eulerian solver for the study of multiphase flows for simulating the propagation of surface gravity waves over submerged bodies is presented. We solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the volume of fluid technique for the modeling of the liquid phases with the interface, an immersed body method for the s...

We show that Hamiltonian nonlinear dispersive wave systems with cubic nonlinearity and random initial data develop, during their evolution, anomalous correlators. These are responsible for the appearance of “ghost” excitations, i.e., those characterized by negative frequencies, in addition to the positive ones predicted by the linear dispersion rel...

The Korteweg–de Vries equation that describes surface gravity water wave dynamics in shallow water is well known to admit cnoidal wave solutions, i.e. periodic travelling waves with stationary wave shape. Such type of periodic wave patterns can be also found in the deep-water waves with the envelopes that follow the dynamics of the nonlinear Schröd...

We examine and discuss the spatial evolution of the statistical properties of mechanically generated wave fields, initialised with uniformly distributed phases and Rayleigh distributed amplitudes. We demonstrate that nonlinear interactions produce an energy cascade towards high frequency modes and triggers localised intermittent bursts. By analysin...

Plain Language Summary During the Antarctic winter, small pancake ice floes, which form rapidly in wavy conditions, dominate new ice growth and create a dynamic environment. However, there are only a handful of local observations of pancake ice drift, particularly during the intense polar cyclones that frequently reshape the ice cover. More observa...

This paper discusses the potential of deterministic wave prediction as one basic module for decision support of offshore operations. Therefore, methods of different complexity—the linear wave solution, the non-linear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) of two different orders and the high-order spectral method (HOSM)—are presented in terms of applicability...

A statistical theory of rogue waves is proposed and tested against experimental data collected in a long water tank where random waves with different degrees of nonlinearity are mechanically generated and free to propagate along the flume. Strong evidence is given that the rogue waves observed in the tank are hydrodynamic instantons, that is, saddl...

Commonly, thermal transport properties of one dimensional systems are found to be anomalous. Here, we perform a numerical and theoretical study of the $\beta$-FPUT chain, a prototypical model for one-dimensional anharmonic crystals, in contact with thermostats at different temperatures. We show numerically that, in steady state conditions, the {\it...

This paper investigates the question of the existence of nonlinear wave-ice interaction with the focus on nonlinear wave propagation and dispersion of waves. The scope of this investigation is to provide a better understanding of ice and wave conditions required to observe nonlinear wave effects under level ice. Direct numerical simulations of nonl...

Starting from the action-angle variables and using a standard asymptotic expansion, here we present a new derivation of the Wave Kinetic Equation for resonant process of the type $2\leftrightarrow 2$. Despite not offering new physical results and despite not being more rigorous than others, our procedure has the merit of being straightforward; it a...

Inhomogeneous media can change the nonlinear properties of waves propagating on them. In the ocean, this phenomenon can be observed when waves travel on a surface current. In the case of negative horizontal velocity gradients (i.e. an accelerating opposing current or a decelerating following current), waves shorten and heighten, enhancing wave stee...

This paper investigates the fundamental question of nonlinear wave-ice interaction under level ice focusing on nonlinear wave propagation and dispersion of waves. Therefore, numerical investigations are performed to verify theoretically if nonlinearity takes place under level ice and if this can lead to intense wave events far away from the ice edg...

Stationary wave groups exist in a range of nonlinear dispersive media, including optics, Bose-Einstein condensates, plasma, and hydrodynamics. We report experimental observations of nonlinear surface gravity X waves, i.e., X-shaped wave envelopes that propagate over long distances with constant form. These can be described by the 2D+1 nonlinear Sch...

We investigate superfluid flow around an airfoil accelerated to a finite velocity from rest. Using simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation we find striking similarities to viscous flows: from production of starting vortices to convergence of airfoil circulation onto a quantized version of the Kutta-Joukowski circulation. We predict the number...

A statistical theory of rogue waves is proposed and tested against experimental data collected in a long water tank where random waves with different degrees of nonlinearity are mechanically generated and free to propagate along the flume. Strong evidence is given that the rogue waves observed in the tank are hydrodynamic instantons, that is, saddl...

We present nlchains, a software for simulating ensembles of one-dimensional Hamiltonian systems with nearest neighbor interactions. The implemented models are the α-β Fermi–Pasta–Ulam–Tsingou model, the discrete nonlinear Klein–Gordon model with equal or site-specific masses, the Toda lattice and the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The int...

High temporal resolution in--situ measurements of pancake ice drift are presented, from a pair of buoys deployed on floes in the Antarctic marginal ice zone during the winter sea ice expansion, over nine days in which the region was impacted by four polar cyclones. Concomitant measurements of wave-in-ice activity from the buoys is used to infer tha...

Plain Language Summary The extent of Antarctic sea ice is characterized by large regional variations that are in stark contrast with the alarming decreasing trends found in the Arctic. This is partly due to the presence of severe weather events, like extratropical cyclones travelling through the Southern Ocean and reaching the marginal ice zone (MI...

We report on an experimental realization of a bidirectional soliton gas in a 34-m-long wave flume in a shallow water regime. We take advantage of the fission of a sinusoidal wave to continuously inject solitons that propagate along the tank, back and forth. Despite the unavoidable damping, solitons retain their profile adiabatically, while decaying...

Significance Understanding the fundamental dynamics of directional and localized waves is of significant importance for modeling ocean waves as well as predicting extreme events. We report a theoretical framework, based on the universal (2D + 1) nonlinear Schrödinger equation, that allows the construction of slanted solitons and breathers on the wa...

We investigate the $\beta$-Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou (FPUT) chain with beriodic boundary conditions and establish numerically and theoretically the existence of the second-order anomalous correlator. The anomalous correlator manifests in the frequency-wave number Fourier spectrum as a presence of `ghost' waves with negative frequencies, in addition...

We investigate the development of superfluid flow around an airfoil accelerated to a finite velocity from rest. Using both simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and analytical calculations we find striking similarities to viscous flows: from the production of starting vortices to the convergence of the airfoil circulation onto a quantized ve...

We suggest that there exists a natural bandwidth of wave trains, including trains of wind-generated waves with a continuous spectrum, determined by their steepness. Based on laboratory experiments with monochromatic waves, we show that, if no side-band perturbations are imposed, the ratio between the wave steepness and bandwidth is restricted to ce...

Rogue waves are strong localizations of the wave field that can develop in different branches of physics and engineering, such as water or electromagnetic waves. Here, we experimentally quantify the prediction potentials of a comprehensive rogue-wave reduced-order precursor tool that has been recently developed to predict extreme events due to spat...

The size distribution of pancake ice floes is calculated from images acquired during a voyage to the Antarctic marginal ice zone in the winter expansion season. Results show that 50% of the sea ice area is made up of floes with diameters of 2.3–4m. The floe size distribution shows two distinct slopes on either side of the 2.3–4m range, neither of w...

Assuming that resonances play a major role in the transfer of energy among the Fourier modes, we apply the Wave Turbulence theory to describe the dynamics on nonlinear one-dimensional chains. We consider α and β Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou (FPUT) systems, and the discrete nonlinear Klein-Gordon chain. We consider both the thermodynamic limit and the d...

We apply Wave Turbulence theory to describe the dynamics on nonlinear one-dimensional chains. We consider $\alpha$ and $\beta$ Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou (FPUT) systems, and the discrete nonlinear Klein-Gordon chain. We demonstrate that resonances are responsible for the irreversible transfer of energy among the Fourier modes. We predict that all the...

Solitons and breathers are nonlinear modes that exist in a wide range of physical systems. They are fundamental solutions of a number of nonlinear wave evolution equations, including the uni-directional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLSE). We report the observation of slanted solitons and breathers propagating at an angle with respect to the di...

In systems of N coupled anharmonic oscillators, exact resonant interactions play an important role in the energy exchange between normal modes. In the weakly nonlinear regime, those interactions may facilitate energy equipartition in Fourier space. We consider analytically resonant wave-wave interactions for the celebrated Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou...

The evolution of surface gravity waves is driven by nonlinear interactions that trigger an energy cascade similarly to the one observed in hydrodynamic turbulence. This process, known as wave turbulence, has been found to display anomalous scaling with deviation from classical turbulent predictions due to the emergence of coherent and intermittent...

The size distribution of pancake ice floes is calculated from images acquired during a voyage to the Antarctic marginal ice zone in the winter expansion season. Results show that 50% of the sea ice area is made up by floes with diameters 2.3–4m. The floe size distribution shows two distinct slopes on either side of the 2.3–4m range. It is conjectur...

We present a technique for measuring the two-dimensional surface water wave elevation both in space and time based on the low-cost Microsoft Kinect sensor. We discuss the capabilities of the system and a method for its calibration. We illustrate the application of the Kinect to an experiment in a small wave tank. A detailed comparison with standard...

Southern Ocean waves are the largest on Earth, but their interaction with sea ice is a particularly poorly understood feedback in the climate system. Limited observations of waves in the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) show that waves can travel hundreds of kilometers into the ice and that current representations of wave decay are inappropriate i...

We present a technique for measuring the two-dimensional surface water wave elevation both in space and time based on the low-cost Microsoft Kinect sensor. We discuss the capabilities of the system and a method for its calibration. We illustrate the application of the Kinect to an experiment in a small wave tank. A detailed comparison with standard...

The evolution of surface gravity waves is driven by nonlinear interactions that trigger an energy cascade similarly to the one observed in hydrodynamic turbulence. This process, known as wave turbulence, has been found to display anomalous scaling with deviation from classical turbulent predictions due to the emergence of coherent and intermittent...

We consider the original β-Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou system; numerical simulations and theoretical arguments suggest that, for a finite number of masses, a statistical equilibrium state is reached independently of the initial energy of the system. Using ensemble averages over initial conditions characterized by different Fourier random phases, we nu...

Rogue waves are strong localizations of the wave field that can develop in different branches of physics and engineering, such as water or electromagnetic waves. Here, we experimentally quantify the prediction potentials of a comprehensive rogue-wave reduced-order precursor tool that has been recently developed to predict extreme events due to spat...

We consider the original $\beta$-Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou ($\beta$-FPUT) system; numerical simulations and theoretical arguments suggest that, for a finite number of masses, a statistical equilibrium state is reached independently of the initial energy of the system. Using ensemble averages over initial conditions characterized by different Fourier...

We study the time of equipartition, T eq, of energy in the one-dimensional Discrete Nonlinear Klein-Gordon (DNKG) equation in the framework of the Wave Turbulence (WT) theory. We discuss the applicability of the WT theory and show how this approach can explain qualitatively the route to thermalization and the scaling of the equipartition time as a...

Rogue waves are extreme and rare fluctuations of the wave field that have been discussed in many physical systems. Their presence substantially influences the statistical properties of an incoherent wave field. Their understanding is fundamental for the design of ships and offshore platforms. Except for very particular meteorological conditions, wa...