Three-Parameter Characterization of Shallow-Water Directional Wind Wave Spectra
Abstract
A 5-year, 6,759-case database of high resolution, shallow-water, frequency-direction spectra is examined by classifying spectra in discrete ranges of three parameters: characteristic wave height, spectral peak frequency, and spectral peak direction. Counting the number of cases in each classification reveals the distribution of the spectral population in the three-parameter domain. Averaging spectra within parametric classes defines characteristic spectra that can be used to describe nearshore wave conditions more completely when only three parameters are known or estimated. Though the results are specifically unique to the North Carolina outer banks experiment site (the Field Research Facility of the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Coastal Engineering Research Center), they are illustrative of the variability of wave energy distributions possible in nature. Computation of longshore energy fluxes and radiation stress tensor components using characteristic spectra and the three-parameter guidance of the Shore Protection Manual reveals significant differences, and suggests that the ability to measure directional distributions of wave energy with high resolution is critical to the further improvement of modeling and predictive ability. Energy flux, Wave climate, Frequency-direction spectra, Wave database, Radiation stress, Wind waves.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA278532
Entities
People
- Charles E. Long
Organizations
- Coastal Engineering Research Center