Statistical Mechanics of Ocean Waves

Abstract

The evolution of ocean surface spectra due to the nonlinear interaction of surface gravity waves with themselves and ocean currents is discussed. The notions of interacting wave packets (nonlinear waves), incoherence, and nonlinear energy transfer, suggest a general statistical mechanical treatment of the interaction problem. Specific calculations of particular nonlinear interaction mechanisms using an eigenmode analysis are discussed, e.g., the instability of the Stokes' wave and the energy transfer from current patterns to surface waves. Various comparisons with extant ocean and wave tank data are made.