You are on page 1of 2

Regular Ocean Waves (Linear Waves)

z
crest

c
a

still water
line (SWL)

trough

sea bottom

H
a
L
T

=
=
=
=
=

c
cg
d
k
u
w
ax
az

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

displacement of the water surface, varies with time and location, (meters, feet, etc.)
wave height, constant with time at a given location, (m, ft)
wave amplitude (m, ft) ( a = H / 2 for linear waves)
wave length (m, ft)
wave period, time required for one complete wave to pass a fixed point (seconds,
minutes, hours)
wave frequency = 1/T (cycles/sec = Hertz, Hz)
wave circular or radian frequency = 2/T= 2f (radians/sec)
wave celerity or wave speed, c = L/T (m/sec, ft/sec, etc.)
wave group velocity (m/sec, ft/sec, etc.)
water depth (m, ft, fathoms (fm) = 6 ft)
wave number = 2/L (m-1, ft-1, etc.)
water particle velocity in the x (horizontal) direction (m/sec, ft/sec, etc.)
water particle velocity in the z (vertical) direction (m/sec, ft/sec, etc.)
water particle acceleration in the x (horizontal) direction (m/sec2, ft/sec2, etc.)
water particle acceleration in the z (vertical) direction (m/sec2, ft/sec2, etc.)

Wave Displacement

= a cos( kx t )

Wave Number

k = 2 L

Radian Frequency

= 2 T

Dispersion Relation

2 = gk tanh( kd )

Shallow Water
d/L < 1/20, 0.05
d/(gT2) < 0.0025

Wave Speed

L
c = = gd
T

Wave Length

L = T gd

Wave Period

Group Velocity

T=

L
gd

cg = c

Intermediate
0.05 < d/L <1/2

L
=
T k
g
tanh( kd )
=
k

c=

L=

L=

cg =

Deep Water
d/L > 1/2
d/(gT2) > 0.08
c = cO =

gT 2
2d
tanh

L
2

2L

g tanh(2d L)

4d L
c
1 +

2 sinh( 4d L)

L
=
T

L=

T=

gT 2
2

2L
g

cg =

c
2

agk cosh (kz + kd )


cos(kx t )

cosh (kd )
cosh (kz + kd )
= a
cos(kx t )
sinh (kd )

u=

Horizontal Water Particle Velocity

agk sinh (kz + kd )


sin (kx t )

cosh (kd )
sinh (kz + kd )
= a
sin (kx t )
sinh (kd )

w=

Vertical Water Particle Velocity

Horizontal Water Particle Acceleration


Vertical Water Particle Acceleration

cosh( kz + kd )
sin( kx t )
cosh( kd )
sinh( kz + kd )
a z = agk
cos( kx t )
cosh( kd )
a x = agk

Energy per unit surface area

E = 21 ga 2 = 81 gH 2

Energy per unit wave crest width

E T = 21 ga 2 L = 81 gH 2 L

Energy flux per unit wave crest width

E = Ec g = 21 ga 2 c g = 81 gH 2 c g

gL
2

You might also like