LIMITATIONS OF SPECTRAL ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF WIND-GENERATED WATER SURFACE WAVES

The author briefly discusses recent laboratory investigations which have provided evidence that a gravitational subrange in the spectrum of wind-generated waves does not exist in the neighborhood of the spectral maximum. An alternate description is presented wherein the spectrum is explained in terms of a train of dominant waves of a single frequency, which are characterized by finite amplitude and a skewed shape under the action of the wind. Some possible methods for isolating the dominant waves from the remainder of the wave record are discussed. A technique for obtaining the average form of the dominant wave is described, and results of efforts to apply this technique are examined. The author suggests research in the area of sediment waves as an application of the methods summarized in this paper.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the International Symposium on Stochastic Hydraulics, Pittsburgh, Pa., May 31-June 2, 1071.
• Corporate Authors:

  Karlsruhe University

  Department of Civil Engineering
  Karlsruhe,   Germany 
• Authors:
  • Plate, E J
• Publication Date: 1971-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Rayleigh waves; Spectrum analysis; Wind waves
• Candidate Terms: Spectral analysis of surface waves
• Old TRIS Terms: Surface wave effects
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050910
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Maritime Research Center, Galveston
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1974 12:00AM