Energy transfer and phase operators for inducing extreme wave events from traditional wave models

• Published in: Ocean engineering Vol. 234; p. 109244
• Main Author: Belmont, M.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15-08-2021
• Subjects: Extreme waves; Nonlinear operator; Wave models; Extreme waves; Wave models; Nonlinear operator
• ISSN: 0029-8018; 1873-5258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109244

A simple nonlinear phase operator was recently introduced which when applied to standard sea wave models was able to generate many of the properties of extreme waves. This technique was not able to describe the largest events observed. The methodology is extended to include a second nonlinear operator which transfers part or all of the energy from the original wave spectrum into far more uniform real valued transient spectra. This in combination with the original phase operator was able to describe all sizes of observed extreme wave phenomena and also provided some insights into the nonlinear mechanisms involved in such events.
•Simple model for localised extreme wave events.•Phase cancellation and energy transfer between components.•Describes extreme waves emerging from background wave field.