Current-Induced Modulation of the Ocean Wave Spectrum and the Role of Nonlinear Energy Transfer

Abstract

Numerical simulations were performed to investigate current-induced modulation of the spectral and statistical properties of ocean waves advected by idealized and realistic current fields. In particular, the role of nonlinear energy transfer among waves in wave?current interactions is examined. In this type of numerical simulation, it is critical to treat the nonlinear transfer function (Snl) properly, because a rigorous Snl algorithm incurs a huge computational cost. However, the applicability of the widely used discrete interaction approximation (DIA) method is strictly limited for complex wave fields. Therefore, the simplified RIAM (SRIAM) method is implemented in an operational third-generation wave model. The method approximates an infinite resonant quadruplet with 20 optimized resonance configurations. The performance of the model is assessed by applying it to fetch-limited wave growth and wave propagation against a shear current. Numerical simulations using the idealized current field revealed that the Snl retained spectral form by redistributing the refracted wave energy; this suggests that energy concentration due to ray focusing is dispersed via the self-stabilization effect of nonlinear transfer. A hindcast simulation using wind and current reanalysis data indicated that the difference in the average monthly wave height was substantial and that instantaneous wave?current interactions were highly sensitive to small current structures. Spectral shape was also modulated, and the spatial distributions of the directional bandwidth with or without current data were completely different. Moreover, the self-stabilization effect of the Snl was also confirmed in a realistic situation. These results indicate that a realistic representation of the current field is crucial for high-resolution wave forecasting.