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.     

Sensitivity of wave model predictions to wind fields in the Western Mediterranean sea

The paper compares the wave hindcast in the Western Mediterranean sea using the reanalysis wind fields from HIPOCAS and ERA-40 from ECMWF for November 2001. The study has concentrated on the Mediterranean coast of Spain where there are known difficulties with the wind and wave modelling. Two winter storms have been compared. The main differences between the significant wave heights using the ERA-40 reanalysis (ECMWF) and HIPOCAS reanalysis winds were observed to increase when moving southwards in the geographical domain at the offshore locations. Systematic negative biases of Hs were obtained with the ERA-40 data at all the coastal locations analyzed, whereas positive biases are typical for the HIPOCAS reanalysis. For offshore and coastal locations when using the ERA-40 data the Hs biases increased moving to South, while this pattern was not so clear for the HIPOCAS data. The inconsistencies in the comparisons of modelled waves against measurements seem to be associated with the quality of the wind fields.     

Anisotropy of wind and wave regimes in the Baltic proper

The directional distribution of moderate and strong winds in the Baltic Sea region is shown to be strongly anisotropic. The dominating wind direction is south-west and a secondary peak corresponds to north winds. North-west storms are relatively infrequent and north-east storms are extremely rare. Angular distribution of extreme wind speed also has a two-peaked shape with maxima corresponding to south-west and north winds, and a deep minimum for easterly winds. The primary properties of the anisotropy such as prevailing winds, frequency of their occurrence, directional distribution of mean and maximum wind speeds coincide on both sides of the Baltic proper. The specific wind regime penetrates neither into the mainland nor into the Gulf of Finland or the Gulf of Riga.Properties of the saturated wave field in the neighbourhood of proposed sites of the Saaremaa (Ösel) deep harbour are analysed on the basis of the wave model WAM forced by steady winds. The directional distribution of wave heights in typical and extreme storms is highly anisotropic. Remarkable wave height anomalies may occur in the neighbourhood of the harbour sites.     

Evaluation of two spectral wave models for wave hindcasting in the Mackenzie Delta

Climate change, reduced sea ice and increased ice-free waters over extended areas for longer summer periods potentially lead to increased wave energy in the Beaufort Sea (Wang et al., 2015; Khon et al., 2014) [1], [2], which is a major concern for coastal and offshore engineering activities. We compare two spectral wave models SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) and MIKE 21 SW (hereafter MIKE21) in simulations of storm-generated waves in the Mackenzie Delta region of the southern Beaufort Sea. SWAN model simulations are performed using two nested grids system, whereas MIKE21 uses an unstructured grid system. Forcing fields are defined by hourly hindcast winds. Moving ice edge boundaries are incorporated during storm simulations. Modelled wave spectra from four storms are shown to compare well with field observations. Two established whitecapping formulations in SWAN are investigated: one dependent on mean spectral wave steepness, and the other on local spectral steepness. For the Beaufort Sea study area, we suggest that SWAN wave simulations using the latter local spectral steepness formulation are better than those using the former mean spectral steepness formulation. MIKE21 simulations also tend to agree with SWAN results using the latter whitecapping formulation.     

海气动量通量研究综述

海气界面动量通量也称为风应力,是海流和表面海浪的主要驱动力,是海洋从大气获得动量的重要途径。因此,合理可靠的海洋表面风应力的参数化对于海洋、大气和波浪以及气候模式的准确预报都具有非常重要的科学意义和实用价值。对风应力拖曳系数的参数化是风应力参数化的主要内容。近来的观测发现,风应力拖曳系数随着风速的增加出现了先增后减的趋势,同时还与海面的波浪状态以及海流有关。基于观测或理论分析,目前已经得到了一系列的风应力拖曳系数计算方法或公式,有的考虑了海浪的作用,有的没有,但这些方案大都是适合中低风速,在高风速下的适用性还有待检验。本文回顾了目前在海气动量通量观测和参数化方面的研究进展,并建议应增加高风速下风速、海流以及海浪等的同步观测,以进一步完善风应力参数化方案。     

Numerical investigation of wave propagation in the Liverpool Bay, NW England

The computer model for near shore wave propagation,SWAN,was used to study wave climates in Liverpool Bay,northwest England with various input parameters,including bottom friction factor,white capping,wind drag formulation and effects of tidal modulations.Results were compared with in-situ measurements and reveal the impacts from these inputs on the predictions of wave height and propagation distributions.In particular,the model results were found very sensitive to different input formulations,and tend to underestimate the wave parameters under storm conditions in comparison with the observations.It is therefore important to further validate the model against detailed field measurements,particularly under large storms that are often of the primary concern.     

Characteristic analysis of wind field and sea wave field over the NW Pacific Ocean

The NW Pacific Ocean is not onIy the only transportation way between America andAsia, but also the source influencing on inIand climate and marine variability of adjacentseas in China. Based on ship observation data during l950 - l995 in the NW Pacific,with data from several hundreds to 30 thousand in every 5"x5" grid network, throughanalyzing the monthly mean directions of prevailing wind, wave and swelI, wind speed,pressure, wave height and frequencies of gaIe of 6 and 8 sca1e, high sea…     

Wave set-up in the storm surge along open coasts during Typhoon Anita

Wave set-up in storm surges is studied using a numerical model for coasts in Tosa Bay, Japan, open to the Pacific Ocean. Simulation models employing only atmospheric pressures and winds as external forces are unable to properly simulate open coast storm surge heights, such as those due to Typhoon Anita (1970). However, the present study shows that a numerical model incorporating wave-induced radiation stresses, as well as wind stresses and pressure gradients, is able to account for the open coast surge heights. There is a maximum contribution of 40% by the radiation stresses to the peak sea level rises. This study also evaluates the effects of the tides; including the tides improves the agreement between the predicted water surface elevations and the observations. The difference in predictions between one-way coupling from wave to surge models and two-way coupling of the surge and wave models is found to be small.     

Quasi-linear model of interaction of surface waves with strong and hurricane winds

A quasi-linear model for determining the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the sea surface and the growth rate of surface waves under a hurricane wind is proposed. The model explains the reduction (stabilization) in the drag coefficient during hurricane winds. This model is based on the solution of the Reynolds equations in curvilinear coordinates with the use of the approximation of the eddy viscosity, which takes into account the presence of the viscous sublayer. The profile of the mean wind velocity is found with consideration for nonlinear wave stresses (wave momentum flux), whereas wave disturbances induced in air by waves on the water surface are determined in the context of linear equations. The model is verified by comparing the calculation results with experimental data for a wide range of wind velocities. The growth rate and drag coefficient for hurricane winds are calculated both with and without consideration for the shortwave portion of the windwave spectrum. On the basis of calculations with the quasi-linear model, a simple parametrization is proposed for the drag coefficient and the growth rate of surface waves during hurricane winds. This model is convenient for use in models of forecasting winds and waves.     

A coupled discrete wave model MRI-II

An ocean wind-wave prediction model MRI-II is developed on the basis of the energy balance equation which contains five energy transfer processes, namely, the input by the wind, the nonlinear transfer among the components of windsea by resonant wave-wave interactions, wave breaking, frictional dissipation and the effect of opposing winds. The nonlinear energy transfer is expressed implicitly together with the wind effect by Toba's one-parameter representation of windsea, but neither swell-swell nor swell-windsea resonant interactions are considered. Hypothetical assumptions are introduced to describe wave breaking effects. The numerical constant required in the assumptions of wave breaking is determined through trial test runs for a hindcast performed on the North-western Pacific Ocean. The significant wave height, one-dimensional wave spectrum and two-dimensional wave spectrum hindcasted by this new model are in more reasonable agreement with observations than those obtained with our old model MRI.     

Hydrodynamic and sedimentary responses to two contrasting winter storms on the inner shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Results are presented from the deployment of three bottom-mounted instrumentation systems in water depths of 6–9 m on the sandy inner shelf of Louisiana, USA. The 61-day deployment included nine cold front passages that were associated with large increases in wind speed. Two of the most energetic cold front passages were characterized by distinct meteorological, hydrodynamic, bottom boundary layer, and sedimentary responses and may potentially be treated as end-member types on a continuum of regional cold front passages. Arctic surges (AC storms) have a very weak pre-frontal phase followed by a fairly powerful post-frontal phase, when northeasterly winds dominate. Migrating cyclones (MC storms) are dominated by a strong low-pressure cell and have fairly strong southerly winds prior to the frontal passage, followed by strong northwesterly winds.

On the basis of measurements taken during this study, AC storms are expected to have a lower average significant wave height than MC storms and are dominated by short-period southerly waves subsequent to the frontal passage. Currents are weak and northerly during the pre-frontal phase, but become very strong and southwesterly following the passage. Sediment transport rate during AS storms was not as high as during MC storms, and the mean and overall direction tended to be southwesterly to westerly, with low-frequency flows producing easterly transport, and wind-wave flows producing southeasterly transport.

MC storms had the most energetic waves of any storm type, with peaks in significant wave height occurring during both the pre- and post-frontal phases. The wave field during MC storms tended to be more complex than during AS storms, with an energetic, northerly swell band gradually giving way to a southerly sea band as the post-frontal phase progressed. Currents during MC storms were moderate and northerly during the pre-frontal phase, but became much stronger and southeasterly during the post-frontal phase. Shear velocity was high during both the pre- and post-frontal phases of the storm, although sediment transport was highest following the frontal passage. Mean and overall sediment transport was directed southeasterly during MC storms, with low-frequency and wind-wave flows producing northerly transport. In summary, the data sets presented here are unique and offer insight into the morphosedimentary dynamics of mid-latitude, micro-tidal coasts during extratropical storms.     

Modification of SAR spectra associated with surface wind fields in the sea off the Kii Peninsula: A case study

Using surface wave parameters and a high-resolution surface wind field derived from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image mode data, we have investigated the spatial modification of SAR spectra. We found a surface wind front, formed by sheltering effect of the Kii Mountains, separating high and low wind-speed regions in a sea area of an European Remote-Sensing Satellite (ERS) SAR image off the Kii Peninsula. A swell system propagating westward dominates in the whole sea area covered by the SAR image. The wavelength retrieved from the SAR spectra in the sheltered (non-sheltered) region is longer (shorter). Since the distributions of surface wave parameters and surface wind speed are so well correlated, it can be considered that the SAR spectra are modified differently by the sheltered/non-sheltered surface winds. In order to examine the phenomena observed on the SAR image we have estimated the wind-wave SAR spectrum using the SAR surface winds, a wind-wave spectrum model and a SAR wave imaging model. We assume that the SAR spectrum related to the swell is homogeneous in the area imaged by SAR, and that the SAR spectrum of the wind-wave components causes the observed SAR spectra modification. Differences between the observed SAR spectra and the estimated SAR spectra in the sheltered and non-sheltered regions agree well with each other. In the present case, it can be concluded that the observed SAR spectra can be regarded as a linear combination of the wind-wave SAR spectra and the swell SAR spectra.     

Comparison of wind and wave measurements and models in the Western Mediterranean Sea

We have hindcast the wind and wave conditions in the Mediterranean Sea for two one month periods. Four different meteorological models and three different wave models have been used. The results have been compared with satellite and buoy wind and wave observations.Several conclusions concerning both the instruments and the models have been derived. The quality of both wind and wave results has been assessed. Close to the coasts high resolution, nested wave models are required for sufficient reliability.A wave threshold analysis suggests a sufficient reliability only off the coast, with a substantial decrease for low wave heights.     

A generalized approach for long-term modelling of extreme crest-to-trough wave heights

This paper deals with the long-term modelling of high sea waves. The solution is given for the return period of sea storms during which an arbitrary chosen number of waves, with crest-to-trough heights exceeding a fixed threshold, occur. This return period is derived starting from the Equivalent Triangular Storm (ETS) model, which associates a triangle to each actual storm and thus represents a significant wave height time series at a fixed location by means of a sequence of triangular storms. The short-term statistics is then applied to investigate the occurrence of large crest-to-trough wave heights during a given storm. Finally, by combining the statistical distribution of significant wave heights, the ETS model and the short-term wave statistics, the solution is given for the return periods R_N and R_N of a sea storm in which N or at least N waves higher than a fixed threshold occur. The values of R_N are then calculated, starting from data of two buoys moored in the Pacific Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea.     

基于HY-2 卫星观测分析南海风浪关系

海面有效波高(H1/3)是表征海浪的重要参数,随着卫星遥感技术的发展,雷达高度计已成为获取海面有效波高的重要手段,但也只能对卫星星下点轨迹处进行有效观测,远无法满足大范围应用的需求.本研究结合2013年10月HY-2雷达高度计观测的海面有效波高和微波散射计观测的海面风场资料,分别对高、低风速下风浪数据进行拟合,建立了适用于0~40 m/s风速范围内的南海海域风浪关系模型,经模型比对和结果验证,结果表明,基于HY-2卫星数据分析建立的南海海域风浪关系模型是可信的,特别是低风速的风浪模型与实测数据建立的风浪模型具有很好的一致性;根据建立的风浪关系模型,从卫星散射计大面观测的海面风场出发,能推算出风浪条件下海面有效波高的大面信息,数据覆盖远高于卫星高度计的星下点观测,能为分析和预报海浪、风暴潮灾害提供大范围的海面有效波高信息.     

两参量的海面阻力系数模式的探讨

从风浪的能量平衡方程出发，引进若干风要素与波要素以及波要素之间的定性关系，经演算可导出海面阻力系数（Ｃｐ）或是风速（Ｕ）和波龄（β）或是Ｕ和波高（Ｈ）的函数，然后沿用最小二乘法，终将得出４组１２个回归方程。当β（或β）或Ｈ为某一给定值，惟有Ｕ为唯一参量时，所提各式均可简化为非线性方程：ＣＤ＝ａ＋ｂ，Ｕ＋ｃ．Ｕ＾２；式中ａ，ｂ和ｃ为三个经验系数，就所检验的例子而言，本文的结果与实际的符合前人的为好。     

Evaluation of a high-resolution wave hindcast model SWAN for the West Mediterranean basin

This study aims to present an evaluation and implementation of a high-resolution SWAN wind wave hindcast model forced by the CFSR wind fields in the west Mediterranean basin, taking into account the recent developments in wave modelling as the new source terms package ST6. For this purpose, the SWAN model was calibrated based on one-year wave observations of Azeffoune buoy (Algerian coast) and validated against eleven wave buoys measurements through the West Mediterranean basin. For the calibration process, we focused on the whitecapping dissipation coefficient C_ds and on the exponential wind wave growth and whitecapping dissipation source terms. The statistical error analysis of the calibration results led to conclude that the SWAN model calibration corrected the underestimation of the significant wave height hindcasts in the default mode and improved its accuracy in the West Mediterranean basin. The exponential wind wave growth of Komen et al (1984) and the whitecapping dissipation source terms of Janssen (1991) with C_ds = 1.0 have been thus recommended for the western Mediterranean basin. The comparison of the simulation results obtained using this calibrated parameters against eleven measurement buoys showed a high performance of the calibrated SWAN model with an average scatter index of 30% for the significant wave heights and 19% for the mean wave period. This calibrated SWAN model will constitute a practical wave hindcast model with high spatial resolution (˜3 km) and high accuracy in the Algerian basin, which will allow us to proceed to a finer mesh size using the SWAN nested grid system in this area.     

Representation of double-peaked sea wave spectra

About 1000 measured wave spectra from the North Atlantic and 6000 from the North Sea, were analysed so as to determine the frequency of occurrence of double-peaked spectra in sea states of different intensity. This type of spectrum did not occur so often close to coast and in high sea states. A four-parameter theoretical formulation was proposed to represent double-peaked spectra and was shown to provide an excellent fit to measured spectra. The average values of the spectral parameters describing the two peaks did not show any clear dependence on significant wave height.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of a cylindrical bottom-pivoted wave energy absorber

A parametric study was carried out to investigate the hydrodynamics of a cylindrical wave energy absorber. Established methods of hydrodynamic analysis were applied to the case of a damped vertically oriented cylinder pivoted near the sea floor in intermediate depth water. The simple geometry provides a canonical reference for more complex structure shapes and configurations that may be considered for either wave energy conversion or wave energy absorption. The study makes use of the relative velocity Morison equation, with force coefficients derived from radiation and diffraction theory. Viscous effects were accounted for by including a drag term with an empirically derived coefficient, C_D. A non-linear first-order formulation was used to calculate the cylinder motion response in regular waves. It was found that the non-linear drag term, which is often neglected in studies on wave energy conversion, has a large effect on performance. Results from the study suggest a set of design criteria based on Keulegan–Carpenter (KC) number, ratio of cylinder radius to water depth (a/h), and ratio of water depth to wavelength (h/L). Respectively, these parameters account for viscous, wave radiation, and water depth effects, and optimal ranges are provided.     

Data assimilation of partitioned HF radar wave data into Wavewatch III

In this study the assimilation of HF radar data into a high resolution, coastal Wavewatch III model is investigated. An optimal interpolation scheme is used to assimilate the data and the design of a background error covariance matrix which reflects the local conditions and difficulties associated with a coastal domain is discussed. Two assimilation schemes are trialled; a scheme which assimilates mean parameters from the HF radar data and a scheme which assimilates partitioned spectral HF radar data. This study demonstrates the feasibility of assimilating partitioned wave data into a coastal domain. The results show that the assimilation schemes provide satisfactory improvements to significant wave heights but more mixed results for mean periods. The best improvements are seen during a stormy period with turning winds. During this period the model is deficient at capturing the change in wave directions and the peak in the waveheights, while the high sea state ensures good quality HF radar data for assimilation. The study also suggests that there are both physical and practical advantages to assimilating partitioned wave data compared to assimilating mean parameters for the whole spectrum.