Probabilistic Models for the Probability of Wave Breaking and Whitecap Coverage Based on Kinematic Breaking Criterion

More and more researches show that neither the critical downward acceleration nor the critical slope of water waves is a universal constant. On the contrary, they vary with particular wave conditions. This fact renders the models either for the probability of wave breaking B or for the whitecap coverage W based on these criteria difficult to apply. In this paper and the one which follows we seek to develop models for the prediction of both B and W based on the kinematical criterion. First, several joint probabilistic distribution functions (PDFs) of wave characteristics are derived, based on which the breaking properties B and W are estimated. The estimation is made on the assumption that a wave breaks if the horizontal velocity of water particles at its crest exceeds the local wave celerity, and whitecapping occurs in regions of fluid where water particles travel faster than the waves. The consequent B and W depend on wave spectral moments of orders 0 to 4. Then the JONSWAP spectrum is used to represent the fetch limited sea waves in deep water, so as to relate the probability of wave breaking and the whitecap coverage with wind parameters. To this end, the time averaging technique proposed by Glazman (1986) is applied to the estimation of the spectral moments involved, and furthermore, the theoretical models are compared with available observations collected from published literature. From the comparison, the averaging time scale is determined. The final models show that the probability of wave breaking as well as the whitecap coverage depends on the dimensionless fetch. The agreement between these models and the database is reasonable.

Numerical Simulation of Spatial Lag Between Wave Breaking Point and Location of Maximum Wave-Induced Current

A quasi three-dimensional numerical model of wave-driven coastal currents with the effects of surface rollers is developed for the study of the spatial lag between the location of the maximum wave-induced current and the wave breaking point. The governing equations are derived from Navier-Stokes equations and solved by the hybrid method combining the fractional step finite different method in the horizontal plane with a Galerkin finite element method in the vertical direc- tion. The surface rollers effects are considered through incorporating the creation and evolution of the roller area into the free surface shear stress. An energy equation facilitates the computation process which transfers the wave breaking energy dissipation to the surface roller energy. The wave driver model is a phase-averaged wave model based on the wave action balance equation. Two sets of laboratory experiments producing breaking waves that generated longshore currents on a planar beach am used to evaluate the model＇s performance. The present wave-driven coastal current model with the roller effect in the surface shear stress term can produce satisfactory results by increasing the wave-induced nearshore current velocity inside the surf zone and shifting the location of the maximum longshore current velocity landward.

Comparisons of Computational and Experimental Results of Solitary Wave Breaking

In this paper, the solitary wave deformation along a gentle slope and the impact pressure, on the wall are investigated experimentally and the results are compared with numerical results obtained based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The topography used in the experiment consists of three segments. The left segment is a 1:4 slope, the middle segment 1 :SO slope and the right segment a horizontal bed. Both the wave heights and breaking points obtained from numerical simulation and experiments are in good agreement. Numerical results give reasonable pressure distributions of breaking waves on the wall.

A Boussinesq Equation-Based Model for Nearshore Wave Breaking

Based on the wave breaking model by Li and Wang (1999), this work is to apply Dally's analytical solution to the wave-height decay instead of the empirical and semi-empirical hypotheses of wave-height distribution within the wave breaking zone. This enhances the applicability of the model. Computational results of shoaling, location of wave breaking, wave-height decay after wave breaking, set-down and set-up for incident regular waves are shown to have good agreement with experimental and field data.

Effects of Wave Breaking on Freak Wave Generation in Random Wave Train

The experimental studies of the wave breaking effects on freak wave generation are presented within a finite-depth random wave train in a laboratory wave tank. The main attention is paid to the abnormal index, AI = Hmas/Hs, being used to characterize the freak waves, and the changes of the coefficient due to wave breaking. The results show that the occurrence probability of freak wave events in non-breaking waves is much larger than that in bleaking waves and such occurrence in deep water is larger than that in shallow water.

An Improved Nearshore Wave Breaking Model Based on the Fully Nonlinear Boussinesq Equations

This paper aims to propose an improved numerical model for wave breaking in the nearshore region based on the fully nonlinear form of Boussinesq equations. The model uses the κ equation turbulence scheme to determine the eddy viscosity in the Boussinesq equations. To calculate the turbulence production term in the equation, a new formula is derived based on the concept of surface roller. By use of this formula, the turbulence production in the one-equation turbulence scheme is directly related to the difference between the water particle velocity and the wave celerity. The model is verified by Hansen and Svendsen's experimental data (1979) in terms of wave height and setup and setdown. The comparison between the model and experimental results of wave height and setup and setdown shows satisfactory agreement. The modeled turbulence energy decreases as waves attenuate in the surf zone. The modeled production term peaks at the breaking point and decreases as waves propagate shoreward. It is also suggested that both convection and diffusion play their important roles in the transport of turbulence energy immediately after wave breaking. When waves approach to the shoreline, the production and dissipation of turbulence energy are almost balanced. By use of the slot technique for the simulation of the movable shoreline boundary, wave runup in the swash zone is well simulated by the present model.

Determining the Onset and Strength of Unforced Wave Breaking in A Numerical Wave Tank

A numerical wave tank is used to investigate the onset and strength of unforced wave breaking, and the waves have three types of initial spectra： constant amplitude spectrum, constant steepness spectrum and Pierson-Moscowitz spectrum. Numerical tests are performed to validate the model results. Then, the onset of wave breaking is discussed with geometric, kinematic, and dynamic breaking criteria. The strength of wave breaking, which is always characterized by the fractional energy loss and breaking strength coefficient, is studied for different spectra. The results show how the energy growth rate is better than the initial wave steepness on estimating the fractional energy losses as well as breaking strength coefficient.

Mean Flow–Storm Track Relationship and Rossby Wave Breaking in Two Types of El-Nino

The features of large-scale circulation, storm tracks and the dynamical relationship between them were examined by investigating Rossby wave breaking （RWB） processes associated with Eastern Pacific （EP） and Central Pacific （CP） E1-Nifio. During EP E1-Nino, the geopotential height anomaly at 500 hPa （Z500） exhibits a Pacific-North America （PNA） pattern. During CP EI-Nifio, the Z500 anomaly shows a north positive-south negative pattern over the North Pacific. The anomalous distributions of baroclinicity and storm track are consistent with those of upper-level zonal wind for both EP and CP EI-Nino, suggesting impacts of mean flow on storm track variability. Anticyclonic wave breaking （AWB） oczurs less frequently in EP EI-Nino years, while cyclonic wave breaking （CWB） occurs more frequently in CP EI-Nino years over the North Pacific sector. Outside the North Pacific, more CWB events occur over North America during EP Ei-NiNo. When AWB events occur less frequently over the North Pacific during EP EI-Nino, Z500 decreases locally and the zonal wind is strengthened （weakened） to the south （north）. This is because AWB events reflect a monopoie high anomaly at the centroid of breaking events. When CWB events occur more frequently over the North Pacific under CP EI-Nino conditions, and over North America under EP EI-Nino condition, Z500 increases （decreases） to the northeast （southwest）, since CWB events are related to a northeast-southwest dipole Z500 anomaly. The anomalous RWB events act to invigorate and reinforce the circulation anomalies over the North Pacific-North America region linked with the two types of EI-Nino.

Numerical Prediction of Regular Wave Breaking on Very Gentle Slopes

Regular wave deformation and breaking on very gentle slopes is calculated by Mixed-Eulerian-Lagrangian procedure. The velocity potentials and their normal derivatives on the boundary are calculated through the mixed 0-1 boundary element method. The wave elevation and the potentials of Lime-stepping integration are determined by the 2nd-order Taylor expansion at the nodes of free surface boundary elements. During calculation the x-coordinates of the free surface element nodes are supposed to remain unchanged, i.e. the partial derivatives of wave elevation and potentials with respect to x are considered as zero. The numerical results of asymmetric parameters of breaking waves are verified by experimental study. It is shown that when the wave asymmetry is weak, the maximum horizontal velocity of water particales occurs at the wave peak and, the average ratio of this maximum velocity to wave celerity is 0.96. However, when the wave asymmetry is strong, the maximum horizontal velocity of water particles occurs just before the wave crest, and the average ratio of the maximum velocity to wave celerity is about 0.98. The numerical results also show that the asymmetry of wave profiles affects the value of the wave breaking index (H/d) (b), that is, when the asymmetric characteristics are weak, the value of wave breaking index coincides with that given by Goda; on the contrary, when the asymmetry of wave profiles is notable, the value of wave breaking index is close to Nelson's result. The experimental study gives the same conclusions.

On the role of wave breaking in ocean dynamics under typhoon Matsa in the Bohai Sea,China

The role of wave breaking(WB) in the ocean dynamics in the Bohai Sea,China under typhoon condition is systematically investigated utilizing a coupled wave-current model.The influences of WB on ocean dynamics and processes(mixing coefficient,temperature,mixed layer depth,and current) during the entire typhoon period(including the pre-typhoon,during-typhoon and after-typhoon stages) are comprehensively detected and discussed.Experimental results show that WB greatly enhances the turbulent mixing at about top 10 m depth under typhoon condition,the increase can be up to 10 times that of the normal weather.At the same time,WB generally strengthens the sea surface cooling by ~1.2°C at the during-typhoon stage,about 3 times that in normal weather.The mixed layer depth,is rapidly increased by ~1.6–3.6 m during typhoon due to WB,particularly,the deepening is stronger in the region from 120.5°E to 121.0°E on account of close to the typhoon eye.In addition,WB renders the current speed more uniformly within the entire depth in the Bohai Sea,the change in speed is ~0.2 m/s,whereas the alternation in current vector is generally opposite to the wind direction except for the typhoon eye region,reflecting that WB has an inhibitory effect on the typhoon-forced current change.The effects of WB on vertical mixing coefficient response to the typhoon rapidly,while the impacts of WB on temperature,and mixed layer depth present hysteretic responses to typhoon.Finally,the mechanisms and distribution characteristics of WB-induced mixing and tidal mixing are compared under typhoon condition.

Parameterization of Wave Breaking Probability and Whitecap Coverage

The model for whitecap coverage and wave breaking probability are parameterized by the dimensionless wind fetch X^-. This paper aims at replacing X^- with other parameters such as the average wave period T^-, wind speed U10 or wave age ξ in order to improve the suitability and convenience of the model for application. First, W and B are expressed in terms of T^- and U10, which are relatively easy to measure in the field. Further, U10 is replaced with the friction velocity U. by use of the empirical relationship. As wave age has been widely used to parameterize spectral models of ocean waves and air-sea fluxes, W and B are then expressed as a simple function of wave age, respectively. The new forms of the model obtained are W= 1 - Ф（3.02ξ0＂76） and B = exp（ - 4.54ξ^1.52） . The two forms are mere applicable in pracrice, since ξ is relatively easy to measure or determine from wave and wind records. Comparisons between these expressions and data collected from published literature are made and agreement is fairly good.

A Whitecap Coverage Model Based on the Surface Slope For Criterion of Wave Breaking

Using the limit surface slope as a criterion of wave breaking, a simple model for estimating the spatial fraction of breaking surface of sea at an instant, which is regarded as the whitecap coverge in this paper, is analytically derived from the probability density of surface slope based on Gaussian statistics. The resulting fraction is found depending on the fourth moment of wave spectum, m(4), as well as the critical threshold of surface slope. By expressing the fourth moment in terms of the Neumann spectrum, a formula linking the fraction and wind speed for fully developed sea states is obtianed. Another formula relating the fraction to both wind speed and fetch (or duration) is achieved by expressing m, in terms of the Krylov spectrum and applying the empirical relationships used in the SMB ocean wave predicting technique. A comparison between these results and the field data of whitecap coverage collected by Monahan and O'Muircheartuigh shows an encouraging agreement.

THE APPLICATION OF WAVELET TRANSFORM TO WAVE BREAKING

Wavelet transform is a particularly useful tool to characterize transient phenomena such as wave breaking. In this paper, we apply wavelet transform to the detection and quantification of the breaking waves, We use a new method that uses the local properties of wavelet transform to detect and quantify the breaking waves and give some new breaking criteria. By comparing this method with the classic method, we find that wavelet transform is very effective in the detection of breaking waves. With wavelet transform, a set of measured wind wave data is investigated. The results have revealed some previously unknown phenomena about wave breaking.

Simulation of the ocean surface mixed layer under the wave breaking

A one-dimensional mixed-layer model, including a Mellor- Yamada level 2.5 turbulence closure scheme, was implemented to investi- gate the dynamical and thermal structures of the ocean surface mixed layer in the northern South China Sea. The turbulent kinetic ener- gy released through wave breaking was incorporated into the model as a source of energy at the ocean surface, and the influence of the breaking waves on the mixed layer was studied. The numerical simulations show that the simulated SST is overestimated in summer without the breaking waves. However, the cooler SST is simulated when the effect of the breaking waves is considered, the corre- sponding discrepancy with the observed data decreases up to 20% and the MLD calculated averagely deepens 3.8 m. Owing to the wave-enhanced turbulence mixing in the summertime, the stratification at the bottom of the mixed layer was modified and the tempera- ture gradient spread throughout the whole thermocline compared with the concentrated distribution without wave breaking.

Scale effects on bow wave breaking of KCS ship model:Insights from DDES investigations

Ship bow wave breaking is a common phenomenon during navigation,involving complex multi-scale flow interactions.However,the understanding of this intense free surface flow issue is not sufficiently deep,especially regarding the lack of research on the impact of scale effects on bow wave breaking.This paper focuses on the benchmark ship model KCS and conducts numerical simulations and comparative analyses of bow wave breaking for three model scales under the condition of Fr=0.35.The numerical calculations were performed using the in-house computational fluid dynamics(CFD)solver naoe-FOAM-SJTU,which is developed on the open source platform OpenFOAM.Delayed detached eddy simulation(DDES)method is utilized to calculate the viscous flow field around the ship hull.The present method was validated through measurement data of wave profiles and wake flows obtained from model tests.Flow field results for three different scales,including bow wave profiles,vorticity at various sections,and wake distribution,were presented and analyzed.The results indicate that there is small difference in the bow wave overturning and breaking for the first two occurrences across different scales.However,considerable effects of scale are observed on the temporal and spatial variations of the free surface breaking pattern after the second overturning.The findings of this study can serve as valuable data references for the analysis of scale effects in ship bow wave breaking phenomena.

Shoaling Internal Solitary Waves and the Formation of Boluses

An internal solitary wave of elevation in a two-layer density stratified system of an incompressible, viscous and homogeneous fluid was studied. The run-up of a wave of elevation encountering different slopes was investigated numerically based on solving the continuity, Navier-Stokes and convective-diffusion equations within the Boussinesq approximation. The commercial software COMSOL Multiphysics was used to conduct the numerical simulations. For gradual shoals, a bolus formed that transported dense fluid up the shoal. The bolus disappeared when it reached its maximum height on the slope due to the draining of the dense fluid. Various shoal angles were simulated to detect the critical angle above which a bolus does not form. An angle of 30 or less resulted in the formation of a bolus. In addition, the simulations demonstrated that the size of the bolus induced by shallower slopes was larger and that the vertical height traveled by the bolus was insensitive to the slope of the shoal.

Microwave backscattering from the sea surface with breaking waves

Based on the effective medium approximation theory of composites, the whitecap-covered sea surface is treated as a medium layer of dense seawater droplets and air. Two electromagnetic scattering models of randomly rough surface are applied to the investigation of microwave backscattering of breaking waves driven by strong wind. The shapes of seawater droplets are considered by calculating the effective dielectric constant of the whitecap layer. The responses of seawater droplets shapes, such as sphere and ellipsoid, to the backscattering coefficient are discussed. Numerical results of the models are in good agreement with the experimental measurements of horizontally and vertically polarized backscattering at microwave frequency 13.9GHz and different incidence angles.

One-Dimensional Horizontal Boussinesq Model Enhanced for Non-Breaking and Breaking Waves

Based on a set of fully nonlinear Boussinesq equations up to the order of O（μ^2, ε^3μ^2） （where ε is the ratio of wave amplitude to water depth and ,μ is the ratio of water depth to wave length） a numerical wave model is formulated. The model＇s linear dispersion is acceptably accurate to μ ≌ 1.0, which is confirmed by comparisons between the simulat- ed and measured time series of the regular waves propagating on a submerged bar. The moving shoreline is treated numer- ically by replacing the solid beach with a permeable beach. Run-up of nonbreaking waves is verified against the analytical solution for nonlinear shallow water waves. The inclusion of wave breaking is fulfilled by introducing an eddy term in the momentum equation to serve as the breaking wave force term to dissipate wave energy in the surf zone. The model is applied to cross-shore motions of regular waves including various types of breaking on plane sloping beaches. Comparisons of the model test results comprising spatial distribution of wave height and mean water level with experimental data are presented.

Numerical Simulation of Breaking Wave Generated Sediment Suspension and Transport Process Based on CLSVOF Algorithm

The sediment suspension and transport process under complex breaking wave situation is investigated using large eddy simulation (abbreviated as LES hereafter) method. The coupled level set (LS) and volume of fluid (VOF) method is used to accurately capture the evolution of air-water interface. The wall effect at the bottom is modeled based on the wave friction term while the complicate bottom boundary condition for sediment is tackled using Chou and Fringer's sediment erosion and deposition flux method. A simulation is carried out to study the sediment suspension and transport process under periodic plunging breaking waves. The comparison between the results by CLSVOF method and those obtained by the LS method is given. It shows that the latter performs as well as the CLSVOF method in the pre-breaking weak-surface deformation situation. However, a serious mass conservation problem in the later stages of wave breaking makes it inappropriate for this study by use of the LS method and thus the CLSVOF method is suggested. The flow field and the distribution of suspended sediment concentration are then analyzed in detail. At the early stage of breaking, the sediment is mainly concentrated near the bottom area. During the wave breaking process, when the entrapped large-scale air bubble travels downward to approach the bottom, strong shear is induced and the sediment is highly entrained.

Evolution and breaking of a propagating internal wave in stratified ocean

The evolution and breaking of a propagating internal wave are directly numerically simulated using a pseudo-spectral method. The mechanism of PSI （ parametric subharmonic instability） involved in the evolution is testified clearly. It dominates gradually in nonlinear resonant interactions. As a consequence, the energy cascades to a second plant wave packet which has lower frequencies and higher wavenumbers than that of the primary wave. With the growth of this wave packet, wave breaking occurs and causes strongly nonlinear regime, i.e. stratified turbulence. The strong mixing and intermittent of the turbulence can be learned from the evolution of the total energy and kurtosis of vorticity vs. time. Some statistic properties of the stratified turbulence are also analyzed, including the spectra of KE （kinetic energy） and PE （potential energy）. The results show that the PE spectra display a wavenumber range scaling as 0. 2 N^4ky^-3 （N is the Brunt - Vaisala frequency, k, is the vertical wavenumber）, which is called buoyancy sub-range. However, the KE spectra cannot satisfy the negative cubic law of vertical wavenumber, which have a much larger downtrend than that of the PE spectra, for the potential energy is transferred more efficiently toward small scales than the kinetic energy. The Cox number of diapycnal diffusivity is also calculated, and it shows a good consistency with the observations and deductions in the ocean interior, during the stage of the stratified turbulence maintaining a fairly active level.