Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
The mass transport velocity field is determined for surface waves which propagate from a region with a clean free surface into a region beneath an inextensible surface film. The waves are assumed to be incident normally on the edge of the film. Determination of this velocity field requires the investigation of a mixed boundary value problem for the bi-harmonic equation, the solution of which is obtained using the Wiener–Hopf technique. Streamlines for the mean motion of the fluid particles are thus obtained. It is found that considerable vertical displacement of fluid is possible due to the presence of the surface film.