A parabolic equation for the combined refraction–diffraction of Stokes waves by mildly varying topography

A parabolic equation governing the leading-order amplitude for a forward-scattered Stokes wave is derived using a multiple-scale perturbation method, and the connection between the linearized version and a previously derived approximation of the linear mild slope equation is investigated. Two examples are studied numerically for the situation where linear refraction theory leads to caustics, and the nonlinear model is shown to predict the development of wave-jump conditions and significant reductions in amplitude in the vicinity of caustics.