Abstract. We consider a class of pseudodifferential evolution equations of the form ut + (n(u) + Lu)x = 0, in which L is a linear smoothing operator and n is at least quadratic near the origin; this class includes in particular the Whitham equation. A family of solitary-wave solutions is found using a constrained minimisation principle and concentration-compactness methods for noncoercive functionals. The solitary waves are approximated by (scalings of) the corresponding solutions to partial differential equations arising as weakly nonlinear approximations; in the case of the Whitham equation the approximation is the Korteweg-deVries equation. We also demonstrate that the family of solitary-wave solutions is conditionally energetically stable.

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This paper contains a rigorous existence theory for three-dimensional steady gravity-capillary finite-depth water waves which are uniformly translating in one horizontal spatial direction x and periodic in the transverse direction z. Physically motivated arguments are used to find a formulation of the problem as an infinite-dimensional Hamiltonian system in which x is the time-like variable, and a centre-manifold reduction technique is applied to demonstrate that the problem is locally equivalent to a finite-dimensional Hamiltonian system. General statements concerning the existence of waves which are periodic or quasiperiodic in x (and periodic in z) are made by applying standard tools in Hamiltonian-systems theory to the reduced equations.A critical curve in Bond number–Froude number parameter space is identified which is associated with bifurcations of generalized solitary waves. These waves are three dimensional but decay to two-dimensional periodic waves (small-amplitude Stokes waves) far upstream and downstream. Their existence as solutions of the water-wave problem confirms previous predictions made on the basis of model equations.

The model equationformula herearises as the equation for solitary-wave solutions to a fifth-order long-wave equation for gravity–capillary water waves. Being Hamiltonian, reversible and depending upon two parameters, it shares the structure of the full steady water-wave problem. Moreover, all known analytical results for local bifurcations of solitary-wave solutions to the full water-wave problem have precise counterparts for the model equation.At the time of writing two major open problems for steady water waves are attracting particular attention. The first concerns the possible existence of solitary waves of elevation as local bifurcation phenomena in a particular parameter regime; the second, larger, issue is the determination of the global bifurcation picture for solitary waves. Given that the above equation is a good model for solitary waves of depression, it seems natural to study the above issues for this equation; they are comprehensively treated in this article.The equation is found to have branches of solitary waves of elevation bifurcating from the trivial solution in the appropriate parameter regime, one of which is described by an explicit solution. Numerical and analytical investigations reveal a rich global bifurcation picture including multi-modal solitary waves of elevation and depression together with interactions between the two types of wave. There are also new orbit-flip bifurcations and associated multi-crested solitary waves with non-oscillatory tails.