Hidden Equilibration Driven Losses in Whitecapping

Abstract

The role of whitecapping losses of waves is investigated in a simple model based on conservation laws. It is shown that, for Airy waves, at least as much energy is lost in gradual reequilibration as is lost in the whitecapping events themselves. This model is based on the the notion that the waves and losses are small enough that some narrow spectrum of frequencies reappears over time