Hurricane Wind Waves—A Discrete Spectral Model

Abstract

A predictive model of hurricane wind waves is based on the radiative transfer equation and a directional frequency spectrum description of the sea state throughout the solution field. Propagation, refraction and shoaling are accommodated by ray kinematics. The physical processes contributing to wave growth, interaction, and decay are represented by state‐of‐the‐art descriptions. The numerical algorithm is a fractional step method, combining the method of characteristics for a propagation step with a local analytical solution for a forcing step. Predictions under steady, uniform wind conditions are consistent with a simpler parametric model based on the JONSWAP data. The predictive potential of the model for hurricane wind waves is confirmed by comparison with field data from Australia's North West Shelf.