Modeling Nonlinear Dispersive Water Waves

An expository review is given on various theories of modeling weakly to strongly nonlinear, dispersive, time-evolving, three-dimensional gravity-capillary waves on a layer of water. It is based on a new model that allows the nonlinear and dispersive effects to operate to the same full extent as in the Euler equations. Its relationships with some existing models are discussed. Various interesting phenomena will be illustrated with applications of these models and with an exposition on the salient features of nonlinear waves in wave-wave interactions and the related processes of transport of mass and energy.