Experiments on capillary-gravity waves of solitary type on deep water

It is shown that capillary-gravity waves of solitary type on deep water can be generated by the resonant excitation of a water surface at a speed close to the phase-speed of free waves. This speed depends upon the wave amplitude. When the source of excitation is removed, the waves are shown to propagate as free solitary waves, damped by viscosity. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.