Cnoidal wave is the wave height, "λ" is the wavelength, "c" is the phase speed and "η" is the trough elevation. Further cn is one of the Jacobi elliptic functions and "K"("m") is the complete elliptic integral of the first kind; both are dependent on the elliptic parameter "m". The latter, "m", determines the shape of the cnoidal wave. For "m" equal to zero the cnoidal wave becomes a cosine function, while for values close to one the cnoidal wave gets peaked crests and (very) flat troughs. For values of "m" less than 0.95, the cnoidal function can be approximated with trigonometric
Shock wave shock wave, creating a process of destructive interference. The sonic boom associated with the passage of a supersonic aircraft is a type of sound wave produced by constructive interference. Unlike solitons (another kind of nonlinear wave), the energy and speed of a shock wave alone dissipates relatively quickly with distance. When a shock wave passes through matter, energy is preserved but entropy increases. This change in the matter's properties manifests itself as a decrease in the energy which can be extracted as work, and as a drag force on supersonic objects; shock waves are strongly irreversible processes. Shock waves can