A structure preserving stochastic perturbation of classical water wave theory

Abstract

The inclusion of stochastic terms in equations of motion for fluid problems enables a statistical representation of processes which are left unresolved by numerical computation. Here, we derive stochastic equations for the behaviour of surface gravity waves using an approach which is designed to preserve the geometric structure of the equations of fluid motion beneath the surface. In doing so, we find a stochastic equation for the evolution of a velocity potential and, more significantly, demonstrate that the stochastic equations for water wave dynamics have a Hamiltonian structure which mirrors that found by Zakharov for the deterministic theory. This involves a perturbation of the velocity field which, unlike the deterministic velocity, need not be irrotational for the problem to close.