Experimental evidence of the modulation of a plane wave to oblique perturbations and generation of rogue waves in finite water depth

We present a laboratory experiment in a large directional wave basin to discuss the instability of a plane wave to oblique side band perturbations in finite water depth. Experimental observations, with the support of numerical simulations, confirm that a carrier wave becomes modulationally unstable even for relative water depths k(0)h < 1.36 (with k the wavenumber of the plane wave and h the water depth), when it is perturbed by appropriate oblique disturbances. Results corroborate that the underlying mechanism is still a plausible explanation for the generation of rogue waves in finite water depth. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.