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Graham Warren
Bureau of Meteorology
Australia
17 June, 2
Wave Characteristics
Definitions
Wind (or sea) waves - generated by the local prevailing
wind
Swell waves - the regular longer period waves that were
generated by the winds of distant weather systems.
There may be several sets of swell waves travelling in
different directions, causing a confused sea state.
Sea state is the combination of wind waves and swell.
Properties of Waves
Wavelength (metres)
Height H (=2x amplitude) (metres)
Period T (seconds)
Phase velocity c
=cT
= Hw
= Hsw
Dispersion
Dispersion is the variation of wave speed
with wavelength
Define 2 / T ; k 2 /
2
gk tanh(kd )
Dispersion relation is
2
deep water:
gk
shallow water:
2 gk 2 d
Workshop on Wind Wav17 June, 7
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Group Velocity
Phase velocity is the speed at which a particular phase of the wave
propagates
Group velocity
Velocity at which a group of waves travel
Velocity of propagation of wave energy
c g / k
Workshop on Wind Wav17 June, 8
e and Storm Surge An
0 a j sin( j 0t j )
j 1
Frequency
Wave Growth
Basic concepts
Manual forecasting techniques
Changing Wind
Swell Forecasting
Wave height
depends on a
balance
between
energy in and
energy out
u
gt
u
gX
H c ht ( ) hx ( 2 )
g
u
g
u
Duration limited
Fetch limited
u
gt
u
gX
Tc
pt ( )
px ( 2 )
g
u
g
u
t = duration of
wind
X=fetch
u = wind speed
g = 9.8m/s2
hx()
u
H c h ( )
g
u
Tc
p ( )
g
ht()
px()
pt()
2.8m
Need fetch
>80km
Fetch=25km
1.8m
5.8s
4s
Swell Forecasting
For distant storms, regard the source of the
swell as a point
For nearby storms the situation is more
complicated
Questions:
When will the swell arrive?
Which wavelengths are involved?
What is the height of the swell?
1.56T2 m
(T in secs)
Swell Height
Height of swell depends on
Height of waves in source region, and extent of source
region
Speed dispersion (longer waves and shorter waves have
different speeds dont arrive together)
Angular spreading of the waves (height decreases with
distance as wave energy spreads over larger areas)
Angle between wind direction and direction to storm
Extent of storm
Take square
root for
swell height
Eg: Swell =
0.15 * Hc
2
Wave Measurements
Visual observations
Instruments for measuring waves
Buoys
Sub-surface pressure sensors
Laser
Remote sensing
Radar Altimeter
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Workshop on Wind Wav17 June, 2
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Visual Observations
Guide only as visual observations are not
generally reliable
Observations of height tend to approximate
to the significant wave height
Instruments
Wave buoys
Vertical acceleration measured can be
converted to wave height
Wave staff
Attached to platforms wave height measured
by change in resistance or capacitance of the
wave staff
Workshop on Wind Wav17 June, 2
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Instruments (2)
Pressure sensors
Mounted from platforms below surface
change in pressure is measure of wave height
Laser
Attached to platforms pointing downward
Remote Sensing
Waves from ERS-2 Radar Altimeter
Finally.
The accuracy of any wave forecast is
dependant on the accuracy of the
wind forecast.