Benjamin-Feir Instability of Interfacial Gravity-Capillary Waves in a Two-Layer Fluid. Part I
Olga Avramenko, Volodymyr Naradovyi
TL;DR
This work develops a comprehensive topological description of modulational stability for interfacial gravity-capillary waves in a two-layer finite-thickness fluid using a multiscale expansion to derive a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the Benjamin–Feir index $J$. Modulational stability is determined by the sign of $J\omega''$, and stability diagrams are mapped in the $(\rho,k)$ plane across a wide range of layer depths, revealing structures such as a localized loop, a global upper stability region, a stability corridor, and, in strongly asymmetric cases, a degenerate cut. The analysis connects finite-thickness configurations to limiting La–La, La–HS, and HS–HS cases and shows how layer geometry and symmetry control the topology and connectivity of stable/unstable regions. A companion Part II will address how varying interfacial surface tension further reshapes the stability boundaries, emphasizing capillary effects on modulational dynamics. Overall, the results provide a unified nonlinear-dispersive framework for predicting envelope stability islands and global stability in multi-layer fluid systems.
Abstract
This study presents a detailed investigation of the modulational stability of interfacial wave packets in a two-layer inviscid incompressible fluid with finite layer thicknesses and interfacial surface tension. The stability analysis is carried out for a broad range of density ratios and geometric configurations, enabling the construction of stability diagrams in the (ρ,k) -plane, where ρis the density ratio and k is the carrier wavenumber. The Benjamin-Feir index is used as the stability criterion, and its interplay with the curvature of the dispersion relation is examined to determine the onset of modulational instability. The topology of the stability diagrams reveals several characteristic structures: a localized loop of stability within an instability zone, a global upper stability domain, an elongated corridor bounded by resonance and dispersion curves, and a degenerate cut structure arising in strongly asymmetric configurations. Each of these structures is associated with a distinct physical mechanism involving the balance between focusing/defocusing nonlinearity and anomalous/normal dispersion. Systematic variation of layer thicknesses allows us to track the formation, deformation, and disappearance of these regions, as well as their merging or segmentation due to resonance effects. Limiting cases of semi-infinite layers are analyzed to connect the results with known configurations, including the `half-space--layer', `layer--half-space', and `half-space--half-space' systems. The influence of symmetry and asymmetry in layer geometry is examined in detail, showing how it governs the arrangement and connectivity of stable and unstable regions in parameter space.