A model for the response of wave directions in slowly turning wind fields

On the basis of the wave energy balance equation, the response model of mean directions of locally wind-generated waves in slowly turning wind fields has been derived. The results show that in a homogeneous field, the time scale of the response is not only related to the rate of wave growth, but also to the directional energy distribution and the angle between the wind direction and the mean wave direction. Furthermore, the law of change in the mean wave direction has been derived. The numerical computations show that the response of wave directions to slowly turning wind directions can be treated as the superposition of the responses of wave directions to a series of sudden small-angle changes of wind directions and the turning rate of the mean wave direction depends on the turning rate and the total turning angles of the wind direction. The response of wave directions is in agreement with the response for a sudden change of wind directions if the change in wind directions is very fast. Based on the no     

A probabilistic description of the wind over Liverpool Bay with application to oil spill simulations

Surface winds from the UK Meteorological Office mesoscale (12 km grid) atmospheric model have been used to define the wind at a location in Liverpool Bay during 1997–2001. Winds from the SW (centred on 240°) with a speed of about 10 m/s (20 knots) were the most frequent, although weaker winds from the SE were also common. The wind spectra were red in character and showed no evidence for a peak at the synoptic (2–5 day) time scale; however, a zero-up-crossing analysis suggested a dominant periodicity at 3.1 days, and at this time scale the winds were spatially coherent over a distance of 300 km. A wind direction transition matrix was derived to quantify the probability with which the wind changed between two specified directions. This information was then used with an estimate of the mean duration of a wind event to compute a stochastic wind time series that contained a similar energy level, periodicity, and direction variability to the archived wind data. The archived and stochastic winds were then used in 1000 oil spill contingency simulations during which estimates of the mean and minimum times taken for oil to reach the coastline, and the percentage of the oil impacting selected sites were computed. The stochastic winds provided more realistic results, when compared against those derived using the wind archive, than those obtained using a wind rose representation of the winds. The derivation and use of a stochastic wind time series has application to a range of modelling studies.     

Wave height forecasting in Dayyer, the Persian Gulf

Forecasting of wave parameters is necessary for many marine and coastal operations. Different forecasting methodologies have been developed using the wind and wave characteristics. In this paper, artificial neural network (ANN) as a robust data learning method is used to forecast the wave height for the next 3, 6, 12 and 24 h in the Persian Gulf. To determine the effective parameters, different models with various combinations of input parameters were considered. Parameters such as wind speed, direction and wave height of the previous 3 h, were found to be the best inputs. Furthermore, using the difference between wave and wind directions showed better performance. The results also indicated that if only the wind parameters are used as model inputs the accuracy of the forecasting increases as the time horizon increases up to 6 h. This can be due to the lower influence of previous wave heights on larger lead time forecasting and the existing lag between the wind and wave growth. It was also found that in short lead times, the forecasted wave heights primarily depend on the previous wave heights, while in larger lead times there is a greater dependence on previous wind speeds.     

A numerical model on sea surface wind of typhoon and its hindcasting calibration

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Studies on the effect of wave steepness on wave force coefficient for elliptical caissons

The effect of wave steepness on the wave force exerted on an elliptical caisson subjected to regular wave is presented in this paper. Laboratory results are compared with the modified linear diffraction theory proposed by Mogridge and Jamieson (1976). The caisson was tested for angles of orientations of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° of its major axis with the direction of wave propagation.     

Field evaluation of a microprocessor-based recording current meter modified for wave research

The need to estimate the resuspension and deposition of fine-grained sediments and their associated contaminant transport has, in shallow lakes and nearshore areas, called for the measurement of wave data as well as mean flows. Wave statistics recorded by a vector-average current meter over a two-week period are compared to independently measured wave data for a wave-dominated shallow lake at two depths. Wave orbital motions are within 3% of those determined by spectral analysis of frequently sampled currents. Wave propagation directions are within ±19° of spectrally determined directions and qualitatively similar to the fetch-weighted wind direction. Less satisfactory agreement was evident between the wave periods as determined by zero-crossings and the wave spectral peak periods. Reasonable wave periods could be inferred only when the r.m.s. orbital speed exceeded the mean speed. Another possible algorithm for evaluating wave period is tested and recommendations are made for improvements to the measurement system.     

利用WAVEWATCH和SWAN嵌套计算珠江口附近海域的风浪场*

基于CCMP(Cross Calibrated Multi-platform)卫星遥感海面风场数据,通过将WAVEWATCH和SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore)模型嵌套的方法,数值模拟了珠江口附近海域的风浪场。将总计10个月的数值模拟的有效波高、波周期和波向分别与相应的观测值进行了定量比较。结果说明,有效波高的平均绝对误差为15.4cm,分散系数SI为0.240,相关系数为0.925;波周期的平均绝对误差为1.9s,分散系数SI为0.433,相关系数为0.636;波向的平均绝对误差为23.9°。计算的波高和波向与观测结果的变化趋势相吻合。由于第三代海浪模式本身的缺陷,导致所计算的波周期偏小。总体说来,本文所采用的数值模式能较好地模拟珠江口附近海域的风浪场。另外,还设计了6个算例以探讨采用不同的计算方法和风场对计算结果精度的影响。结果表明使用本文的数值方法和高精度的CCMP风场确实可以提高计算结果的精度。     

Variations in wave direction estimated using first and second order Fourier coefficients

In most design applications such as alignment of the berthing structure and breakwater alignment, it becomes necessary to determine the direction of design wave. There are two different approaches to determine wave direction. One involves the use of first order Fourier coefficients (mean wave direction) while the other uses second order Fourier coefficients (principal wave direction). Both the average wave direction over the entire frequency range (0.03–0.58 Hz) and the direction corresponding to the peak frequency are used in practice. In the present study, comparison is made on wave directions estimated based on first and second order Fourier coefficients using data collected at four locations in the west and east coasts of India. Study shows that at all locations, the mean and principal wave directions for frequencies ranging from 0.07 to 0.25 Hz (±0.5 times peak frequency) co-vary with a correlation coefficient of 0.99 but at lower and higher frequencies, difference between the parameters is large. Average difference between the mean wave direction at peak frequency and the average over the frequency related to spectral energy more than 20% of maximum value is less, around 13°. Study shows that average difference in the sea and swell directions is around 39°.     

Examination of wind-wave interaction source term in WAVEWATCH III with tropical cyclone wind forcing

Results of drag coefficient(CD) from field observations and laboratory wave tank experiments indicate that the operational wave model can overestimate wind energy input under high wind conditions. The wind-wave interaction source term in WAVEWATCH Ⅲ has been modified to examine its behavior with tropical cyclone wind forcing. Using high resolution wind input,numerical experiments under idealized wind field and tropical cyclone Bonnie(1998) were designed to evaluate performance of the modified models. Both experiments indicate that the modified models with reduced CD significantly decrease wind energy input into the wave model and then simulate lower significant wave height(SWH) than the original model. However,the effects on spatial distribution of SWH,mean wavelength,mean wave direction,and directional wave spectra are insignificant. Due to the reduced wind energy input,the idealized experiment shows that the modified models simulate lower SWH than the original model in all four quadrants. The decrease in the front quadrants is significantly larger than that in the rear quadrants;it is larger under higher winds than lower winds. The realistic experiment on tropical cyclone Bonnie shows that the modified model with the various downward trends of CD in high winds creates a simulation that agrees best with scanning radar altimeter observations.     

A simple meteorological buoy with satellite telemetry

A small, inexpensive, and easily deployable meteorological buoy is described. Buoy motion is greatly reduced by appropriate ballast techniques; vector averaging further removes buoy motion effects from wind data. Data is transmitted to the GOES satellite and is retrieved by telephone. Measurements are vector-averaged wind components, wind speed, wind direction, water temperature, air temperature, and compass direction. Data from two field trials are discussed. Speed comparisons averaged 0.2 m sec⁻¹ with a standard deviation of 0.6 m sec⁻¹. Direction comparisons were different due to local topography, but they indicate a probable accuracy of ±5°.     

Reversing Water Exchange Patterns at the Entrance to a Semiarid Coastal Lagoon

Water velocity and density profiles were obtained in late-spring and late-winter to document reversing mean circulation patterns at the entrance to a semiarid coastal lagoon, the Bay of Guaymas, in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The lagoon is shallow but the bathymetry at its entrance is similar to that of temperate estuaries with an asymmetrically positioned channel flanked by shoals. In late-spring the mean circulation at the entrance to the lagoon was driven by horizontal density gradients that arose from excess evaporation over precipitation in the area as evidenced by water density profiles. The lagoon exported relatively warm (25·8 °C) and salty (36·2) water to the Gulf of California through the channel. This export was consistent with inverse estuarine circulation influenced by bathymetry. In late-winter, the circulation at the entrance of the lagoon was mostly driven by wind stress that blew from the northwest, roughly along the main axis of the lagoon. Relatively cool (16·0) °C) and less salty (35·1) water from the Gulf of California was driven into the lagoon within the channel. Density gradients inside the lagoon seem to have played a secondary role in driving the circulation. The late-winter circulation was then estuarine-like, with outflow in the direction of the wind over the shallow areas and a compensatory inflow appearing in the channel as expected from theory of wind-driven flow over bathymetry. This estuarine-like circulation developed despite the lack of measurable freshwater input to the lagoon and was the opposite to that observed in late-spring. These observations then document a reversal in water exchange patterns from season to season in a semiarid coastal lagoon. The observations also constitute one of the few reported examples of flow over shoals driven in the same direction as the wind stress with a compensatory flow in the channel.     

太湖北岸风浪谱的特征分析

利用１９９２年在太湖北岸马迹山地区测得的浅水风风浪资料，采用ＦＦＴ方法求算风浪频谱，对谱结构特征的分析表明，观测到的风浪谱在平衡范围谱值按－４．０幂指数衰减，风浪谱形状与文圣常给出的理论结果比较接近。另外，分析以风要素为参量得到的无因次化频谱可以看出，观测谱基本满足谱的相似律。     

波向对变风向的响应

由能量平衡方程导出匀质波场局地风生浪平均波向对变风向的响应。结果表明,响应的时间尺度不但取决于波能的成长速率,还取决于方向分布函数和风向与平均波向之夹角。按文圣常提出的在局地风作用下的标准风浪成长曲线,对其响应时间尺度的定量估计结果表明,本文提出的无因次响应时间尺度与无因次能量和无固次峰频率的关系,与现已提出的模式比较与实测更符合。     

The sheltering effect of the Balearic Islands in the hindcast wave field

The sheltering effect of the Balearic Islands in the hindcast wave field was studied for typical Mediterranean wave situations of Llevant, Tramuntana and Mestral and for mild conditions such as the Garbí and Ponent winds. For this purpose, a third generation wave model was applied to the Mediterranean Sea and different patterns of the sheltered areas were found for the various representative situations depending on the wind variability and on the magnitude of the wind speed. From the analysis it was concluded that the sheltered zones created during storms generally persist for short periods of time of the order of 6 h, possibly reaching a maximum of 12 h. In contrast with earlier results obtained for swell dominated ocean areas, it was observed that in this area, due to the short fetches the sea states are mainly local wind seas and thus the wave field behind the islands depends on the local wind.     

Estimation of the leeway drift of small craft

Small craft (<6·4 m) leeway is determined as a function of the wind speed in the range of 5–20 knots (3·6–10·3 m/sec). Leeway is calculated relative to the surface current by measurement of the separation distance of the small craft from a dyed patch of surface water at sea, using time-sequenced aerial photography. Leeway increases linearly with wind speed for small craft equipped with or without a sea anchor in the wind range studied. Leeway for small craft without sea anchor can be calculated from the equation U_L = 0.07 U_W + 0.04 where U_W is the wind speed at 2 m elevation. Leeway for small craft drifted off the be calculated from the equation U_LD = 0·05 U_W − 0·12. The small craft drifted off the downwind direction in about 80% of the experiments. The drift angle is variable and difficult to predict.     

Celtic and Armorican slope and shelf residual currents

Current meter data collected over the last 20 years are presented and used to describe the residual currents on the Celtic and Armorican slope and shelf regions. On the slopes, a poleward current of about 6cm s⁻¹ exists at the 500m depth contour. At mid depths, these currents are directed onslope, whereas near the bottom the flow in markedly downslope, reaching mean speeds of about 15cm s⁻¹ near 6°40′W. The downslope currents are thought to be largely tidally induced and balanced by Stokes transports. The total slope transport near 48°N is about 4Sv. On the upper slopes (<1000m depth) the transport increases poleward. On the outer Celtic shelf, a weak (2 cm s⁻¹) counter-current flowing southeastwards was observed. On the Armorican shelf, the residual flow is again nothwestwards and this coastal flow appears to continue northwards across the mouth of the English Chanel and past the Isles of Scilly with typical mean upper layer speeds of about 2cm s⁻¹. Southwest of Ireland the flow is again northwesterly. Numerical model simulations show that the eastern slope boundary current of the NE Atlantic can be driven by realistic distributions of seawater density. The simulations also show only a small wind driven barotropic response on the Celtic and Armorican shelf region and that a component of the residual shelf flows, like the slope current, may be driven by pressure distributions arising from regional differences in the distribution of seawater density, or from non local wind stress.     

Uncertainty Analysis of Wind-Wave Predictions in Lake Michigan

With all the improvement in wave and hydrodynamics numerical models, the question rises in our mind that how the accuracy of the forcing functions and their input can affect the results. In this paper, a commonly used numerical third-generation wave model, SWAN is applied to predict waves in Lake Michigan. Wind data are analyzed to determine wind variation frequency over Lake Michigan. Wave predictions uncertainty due to wind local effects are compared during a period where wind has a fairly constant speed and direction over the northern and southern basins. The study shows that despite model calibration in Lake Michigan area, the model deficiency arises from ignoring wind effects in small scales. Wave prediction also emphasizes that small scale turbulence in meteorological forces can increase prediction errors by 38%. Wave frequency and coherence analysis show that both models can predict the wave variation time scale with the same accuracy. Insufficient number of meteorological stations can result in neglecting local wind effects and discrepancies in current predictions. The uncertainty of wave numerical models due to input uncertainties and model principals should be taken into account for design risk factors.     

OSMAR-S100便携式高频地波雷达海浪和海面风探测性能分析

OSMAR-S系列便携式高频地波雷达系统采用单极子/交叉环紧凑型天线阵,通过单站雷达即可实现有效探测距离约10km内海浪和海面风的单点观测。为了更好地了解OSMAR-S100雷达系统海浪和海面风的综合探测性能,于2013年1月29日至3月7日在台湾海峡西南部海域进行了雷达与浮标观测的对比试验,得到了有效波高、有效波周期、平均风速和平均风向数据。对比结果表明,OSMAR-S100便携式高频地波雷达可有效观测距雷达10km以内有效波高0.5m以上的海浪平均状况和平均风速5m/s以上的海面风,雷达反演有效波高和有效波周期的均方根误差分别为0.60m和1.60s,反演平均风速和平均风向的均方根误差为1.83m/s和16.7°。在未经区域化标定的情况下,此结果说明了该型雷达产品已初步具备了海浪和海面风的业务化观测水平。     

A note on ocean surface drift with application to surface velocities measured with HF Radar

The ocean drift current consists of a (local) pure drift current generated by the interaction of wind and waves at the sea surface, to which the surface geostrophic current is added vectorially. We present (a) a similarity solution for the wave boundary layer (which has been validated through the prediction of the 10-m drag law), from which the component of pure drift current along the direction of the wind (and hence the speed factor) can be evaluated from the 10-m wind speed and the peak wave period, and (b) a similarity solution for the Ekman layers of the two fluids, which shows that under steady-state neutral conditions the pure drift current lies along the direction of the geostrophic wind, and has a magnitude 0.034 that of the geostrophic wind speed. The co-existence of these two similarity solutions indicates that the frictional properties of the coupled air-sea system are easily evaluated functions of the 10-m wind speed and the peak wave period, and also leads to a simple expression for the angle of deflection of the pure drift current to the 10 m wind. The analysis provides a dynamical model for global ocean drift on monthly and annual time scales for which the steady-state neutral model is a good approximation. In particular, the theoretical results appear to be able to successfully predict the mean surface drift measured by HF Radar, which at present is the best technique for studying the near surface velocity profile.     

Modelling the influence of currents on wave propagation at the entrance of the Tagus estuary

A study of the wave propagation and of the consequences of the influence of currents on waves in the Tagus estuary is performed in the present work. For this purpose a high-resolution SWAN domain was coupled to a wave prediction system based on the two state of the art phase averaged wave models, WAM for wave generation and SWAN for nearshore wave transformation. The most important factors affecting the incoming waves are the local currents and the wind. These influences were evaluated by performing SWAN simulations in the target area with and respectively without considering the tide level and tide induced currents. The model results were compared with wave measurements, validating in this way the results of the wave prediction system developed herewith.