Numerical Prediction of Ocean Wind Waves

Abstract

A model has been developed for the prediction of ocean wind waves. The method is based on the energy balance equation, and contains five energy transfer processes. These are the linear and exponential wave growths with time, wave breaking, frictional dissipation and the effect of opposing winds. Computational devices designed for wave propagation give reasonable values for dispersion and angular spreading of the waves.
Two hindcasts were perform e d on the Atlantic Ocean and the Japan Sea. The estimated significant wave height and one-dimensional wave spectrum are in reasonable agreement with the observations.