catenary ripple . "A ripple is described as catenary if the trace of its crestline has the pattern of a chain of catenary waves, such that the more pointed segments of the crestline face downcurrent" (Allen, 1968, p.62-63). It differs from a lunate ripple in having lesser curvature of the crestline. Catenary ripples may be in or out of phase with the ripples immediately upstream or downstream.