Development of frequency-dependent ocean wave directional distributions

The paper discusses the development of a frequency dependent directional spread from an initial condition of frequency-independence. The study applies basin directional measurements from the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN), simulated data from a nonlinear wave equation, and field measurements from the Ekofisk field. The basin experiments and numerical simulations are initialized with a JONSWAP spectrum with frequency-independent directional distributions. In both cases we observe the development of a strong frequency-dependence of the directional spread. The numerical simulations suggest that static nonlinear contributions to the surface elevation partially explain the behavior below the spectral peak in accordance with [1]. There are also dynamic nonlinear contributions on both sides of the spectral peak.