Analysis of Wind Structure Over Water Waves Using a Flow Visualization Method

Abstract

   Wind structure over water waves is analyzed using the drywell-bubble flow visualization method. Significant variation of the wind structure along a wave profile, especially a strong wind near the crest, is observed. The distribution of vertical wind profile along a wave profile is qualitatively similar to the result by Gent and Taylor (1977), but the distribution of turbulent intensity near the wave surface is different from their result; the maximum turbulent intensity is observed on the slope of the leeward side of the wave and the minimum is on the slope of the windward side in our study.
   Disturbances induced by waves decrease exponentially with height proportional to exp(-2πη/L), where L and η are the wave length and the height above water waves respectively, and become nearly zero at η/L=0.25.