  By using the long-wave approximation, a system of coupled evolution equations
for the bulk velocity and the surface perturbations of a B\'enard-Marangoni
system is obtained. It includes nonlinearity, dispersion and dissipation, and
it can be interpreted as a dissipative generalization of the usual Boussinesq
system of equations. As a particular case, a strictly dissipative version of
the Boussinesq system is obtained. Finnaly, some speculations are made on the
nature of the physical phenomena described by this system of equations.

Pattern Formation and Solitons;Pattern Formation and Solitons