| Title: | GROWTH RESPONSE OF WAVES TO THE WIND STRESS |
| DOI No: | 10.1142/9789812701916_0053 |
| Source: | COASTAL ENGINEERING 2004 (pp 667-676)
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| Author(s): | WILLIAM L. PEIRSON
Water Research Laboratory, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, King St., Manly Vale NSW 2093, AUSTRALIA
STEPHEN E. BELCHER
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, P.O. Box 243, Reading RG6 6BB, UNITED KINGDOM
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| Abstract: | A re-analysis wave growth data available in the literature has been undertaken during this study. Data from the sources used by Plant (1982) have been assembled and supplemented by substantial data sets from six other sources. These data sets show growth rates compatible with Plant's curve only if Plant's uncertainty factor of 2 is retained. We have found systematic wave growth behaviour when wave growth is normalised by wave speed multiplied by total wind stress and then plotted as a function of the mean wave steepness. Wave energy input increases approximately quadratically with mean wave steepness to the point of initiation of both breaking and flow separation. Across the transition to breaking, there is no further increase in normalised wave energy input but for strong breaking, no other measurements are available at present. Net wave attenuation rates in the presence of an opposing wind are much greater than wave growth rates for comparable forcing once the mean steepness exceeds approximately 0.05. |
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