WEBChapter 6 - Water Waves. 6.1 Exact (Nonlinear) Governing Equations for Surface Gravity Waves, Assuming Potential Flow. Free surface definition. ( x , z , t ) or F ( x , y. , z , t ) 0. = η. y. x. z. B(x , y, z,t) = 0. Unknown variables. Velocity field: v (x, y, z, t) = ∇φ (x, y, z, t) Position of free surface: y = η (x, z, t) or F (x, y, z, t) = 0.