Hurricane-generated seas - Ochi, Michel K. (Elsevier, 2003)
Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-138) and index
This book is designed as a reference for researchers, designers, graduate students and technical managers in naval, ocean and coastal engineering. It presents information on the severity of hurricane-generated seas in the deep ocean, in finite water depth of the continental shelf as well as nearshore and onshore at the time of hurricane landing. The characteristics of hurricane-generated seas in the open ocean are quite different from those of the usual wind-generated seas in that the source of potential energy generating the waves which is a large circular rotating turbulent wind is advancing in the same direction as the propagating waves. A mathematical formulation specifically applicable to hurricane-generated seas is presented and compared with measured data obtained by NOAA buoys during hurricanes. The transformation of wave spectra with the advance of a hurricane from deep to shallow water is presented in three phases; (a) from deep to finite water depth over the continental shelf, (b) in the region where wave breaking occurs and (c) in the surf zone to the shoreline. Wave characteristics including extreme hight expected during passage of a hurricane from deep to shallow water are discussed with emphasis on the transformation from Gaussian to non-Gaussian stochastic properties