The Role of Wave Self-Similarity in Nearshore Wave Spectra

Nonlinear wave-wave interactions and wave breaking contribute to nearshore wave energy dissipation. These factors can be analyzed by the principles of wave self-similarity. The equilibrium range can be shown in wind-driven wave spectra that exist in the form ( ) and However, the appropriate methods used to determine this loss of energy are controversial. This study examines an approach that reinvestigates the self-similarity principles. Wave spectra with lower peak periods are dominated by nonlinear wave-wave interactions which produce a scaling in shallow water. This thesis investigates the relative role of spectral similarity in different conditions in the nearshore region of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, North Carolina. The results show young sea waves (wave spectra in which the propagation speed of waves at the spectral peak is much smaller than the wind speed) are dominated by nonlinear wave-wave interactions in the nearshore while older waves (wave spectra in which the propagation speed of waves at the spectral peak is equal to or greater than the wind speed) are dominated by wave breaking in deep water. Furthermore, nearshore wave models need to incorporate the self-similarity concept in deep and shallow water to better understand and quantify important aspects of wave physics in shallow water

A Survey of Ocean Simulation and Rendering Techniques in Computer Graphics

This paper presents a survey of ocean simulation and rendering methods in computer graphics. To model and animate the ocean's surface, these methods mainly rely on two main approaches: on the one hand, those which approximate ocean dynamics with parametric, spectral or hybrid models and use empirical laws from oceanographic research. We will see that this type of methods essentially allows the simulation of ocean scenes in the deep water domain, without breaking waves. On the other hand, physically-based methods use Navier-Stokes Equations (NSE) to represent breaking waves and more generally ocean surface near the shore. We also describe ocean rendering methods in computer graphics, with a special interest in the simulation of phenomena such as foam and spray, and light's interaction with the ocean surface

Atmospheric forcing of wave states in the southeast Chukchi Sea

Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2012The objective of this study was to assess the impact that the ocean state, particularly ocean waves, have on coastal communities and operations in the Western Alaska region. In situ measurements and one-dimensional spectra models, were used to link observed wave activity – wind-sea and swells – to their synoptic drivers. Bottommounted Recording Doppler Current Profilers (RDCPs) were placed at offshore and nearshore locations in the southeast Chukchi Sea, Alaska, during 2007 and 2009-2010. The highest significant wave height (SWH) “events” were defined as wave heights above 2m and 3m for a duration of 6h or more. Results show that SWH events appeared to be driven by three types of systems, 1) cyclonic systems that moved into the eastern Bering Sea and then stalled there, 2) cyclonic systems that moved into the eastern Chukchi Sea and then loitered there, and 3) a cyclonic system over the Brooks Range, a less common occurrence. Results also show the offshore region having highest SWHs with an east wind and wave direction, and classified as a wind-sea state. For the nearshore region, highest SWHs with south and west wind and wave directions, generally showed a swell state. Agreement between one-dimensional spectral models and in situ measurements was greatest for the higher wind-sea state in the offshore region, while discrepancies arose for the lower swell state in the nearshore region. Cross-validation of in situ measurements with satellite altimeter radar measurements were also conducted. Good correlation was found for the offshore regions iv but not for the nearshore regions. Satellite observations were also used to assess wave conditions in the Arctic during the years 1993-2011. A 0.020m/year increase of SWH for the SE Chukchi Sea and a 0.025m/year increase for the Pacific-Arctic, was found which correlates well with diminishing sea ice and the heighted wind speed, also shown in this study.Signature Page -- Title Page -- Abstract -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- List of Appendices -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 1 Introduction -- Chapter 2 Synoptic forcing of wave states in the southeast Chukchi Sea, Alaska, at an offshore location -- Chapter 3 Synoptic forcing of wave states in the southeast Chukchi Sea, Alaska, at nearshore locations -- Chapter 4 A description of one-dimensional wave spectra in the southeast Chukchi Sea location -- Chapter 5 Ocean wave conditions in the Chukchi Sea from satellite and in situ observations -- Chapter 6 Summary and Conclusions -- Appendice

The average shape of large waves in the coastal zone

The ability of the NewWave focused wave group (the scaled auto-correlation function) to represent the average shape in time of large waves in a random sea state makes it a useful tool for the design of offshore structures. However, the profile has only been validated against field data for waves on deep and intermediate water depths. A similar validation is advisable when applying NewWave to shallow water problems,where waves are less dispersive and more nonlinear. For this purpose, data recorded by two Channel Coastal Observatory (CCO) wave buoys during two large storms in January 2014 are analysed to assess the ability of NewWave to replicate the average shape of large waves in shallow water. A linear NewWave profile is shown to successfully capture the average shape of the largest waves from the Perranporth and Porthleven wave buoys during these large storm events. The differences between the measurements obtained by a surface-following buoy and a fixed sensor become important when considering the ability of a second-order corrected NewWave profile to capture weakly nonlinear features of the measured data. A general expression for this effect is presented for weakly nonlinear waves on intermediate water depths, leading to Lagrangian second-order sum corrections to the linear NewWave profile. A second-order corrected NewWave profile performs reasonably well in capturing the average features of large waves recorded during the January storms. These findings demonstrate that the NewWave profile is valid in relatively shallow water (kpD values less than 0.5), and so may have potential for use as a design wave in coastal engineering applications

Comparative assessment of control strategies for the biradial turbine in the Mutriku OWC plant

To be competitive against other renewable energy sources, energy converted from the ocean waves needs to reduce its associated levelised cost of energy. It has been proven that advanced control algorithms can increase power production and device reliability. They act throughout the power conversion chain, from the hydrodynamics of wave absorption to the power take-off to improve the energy yield. The present work highlights the development and test of several algorithms to control the biradial turbine which is to be installed in the Mutriku oscillating water column plant. A collection of adaptive and predictive controllers is explored and both turbine speed controllers and latching strategies are examined. A Wave-to-Wire model of one chamber of the plant is detailed and simulation results of six control laws are obtained. The controllers are then validated using an electrical test infrastructure to prepare the future deployment in the plant. Finally, the control strategies are assessed against criteria like energy production, power quality or reliability.This work has received funding from the European Union'sHorizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grantagreement No 654444 (OPERA Project). This work was financed by GV/EJ (Basque Country Government) under grants IT1324-19. The second author was partially funded by the Portuguese Foundationfor Science and Technology (FCT) through IDMEC, under LAETAPEst-OE/EME/LA0022 by FCT researcher grant No. IF/01457/2014.The authors acknowledge AZTI Tecnalia for wave resource data measured at the plant

Wave modelling - the state of the art

This paper is the product of the wave modelling community and it tries to make a picture of the present situation in this branch of science, exploring the previous and the most recent results and looking ahead towards the solution of the problems we presently face. Both theory and applications are considered. The many faces of the subject imply separate discussions. This is reflected into the single sections, seven of them, each dealing with a specific topic, the whole providing a broad and solid overview of the present state of the art. After an introduction framing the problem and the approach we followed, we deal in sequence with the following subjects: (Section) 2, generation by wind; 3, nonlinear interactions in deep water; 4, white-capping dissipation; 5, nonlinear interactions in shallow water; 6, dissipation at the sea bottom; 7, wave propagation; 8, numerics. The two final sections, 9 and 10, summarize the present situation from a general point of view and try to look at the future developments

Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coral Agaricia lamarcki

The physiology of mesophotic Scleractinia varies with depth in response to environmental change. Previous research has documented trends in heterotrophy and photosynthesis with depth, but has not addressed between-site variation for a single species. Environmental differences between sites at a local scale and heterogeneous microhabitats, because of irradiance and food availability, are likely important factors when explaining the occurrence and physiology of Scleractinia. Here, 108 colonies of Agaricia lamarcki were sampled from two locations off the coast of Utila, Honduras, distributed evenly down the observed 50 m depth range of the species. We found that depth alone was not sufficient to fully explain physiological variation. Pulse Amplitude-Modulation fluorometry and stable isotope analyses revealed that trends in photochemical and heterotrophic activity with depth varied markedly between sites. Our isotope analyses do not support an obligate link between photosynthetic activity and heterotrophic subsidy with increasing depth. We found that A. lamarcki colonies at the bottom of the species depth range can be physiologically similar to those nearer the surface. As a potential explanation, we hypothesize sites with high topographical complexity, and therefore varied microhabitats, may provide more physiological niches distributed across a larger depth range. Varied microhabitats with depth may reduce the dominance of depth as a physiological determinant. Thus, A. lamarcki may ‘avoid’ changes in environment with depth, by instead existing in a subset of favourable niches. Our observations correlate with site-specific depth ranges, advocating for linking physiology and abiotic profiles when defining the distribution of mesophotic taxa