We observe the propagation dynamics of surface gravity water waves, having an Airy function envelope, in both the linear and the nonlinear regimes. In the linear regime, the shape of the envelope is preserved while propagating in an 18-m water tank, despite the inherent dispersion of the wave packet. The Airy wave function can propagate at a velocity that is slower (or faster if the Airy envelope is inverted) than the group velocity. Furthermore, the introduction of the Airy wave packet as surface water waves enables the observation of its position-dependent chirp and cubic-phase offset, predicted more than 35 years ago, for the first time. When increasing the envelope of the input Airy pulse, nonlinear effects become dominant, and are manifested by the generation of water-wave solitons.

• Received 29 January 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.034501