Rotary Cross-Bispectra and Energy Transfer Functions Between Non-Gaussian Vector Processes. II. Winds and Currents off the Oregon Coast

Abstract

Application of rotary cross-bispectra and energy transfer functions to a set of wind and current data measured from the Totem research buoy shows these elements to be non-Gaussian and that nonlinear interactions do occur between the wind stress and current at 14 m depth. Such transfers account for 35% of the total energy estimates and for 100% of the estimates at the inertial frequency. For the latter, the most effective set of nonlinear interacting components include half-day and quarter-day components of wind stress. No energy transfers linearly. The effect of nonlinear interaction in broadening the current response spectrum is noted.