Coupled modelling of wind waves and wave boundary layer

Abstract

The coupled wind-wave model is considered. The model includes two components: the 1-D wave boundary layer model and the 2-D wave model. The coupled model is used in two versions: in the presence and the absence of the wave produced momentum flux. A series of experiments was performed for different external parameters: wind speed at the upper boundary of the wave boundary layer and the inverse wave age. The vertical profiles of wind velocity, turbulent and wave produced momentum fluxes were studied and compared to the results obtained from the wave boundary layer model. The comparison showed that the results of coupled modeling coincide exactly with the results from the wave boundary layer model in the case of fully developed waves and differ significantly if developing waves are considered. It is demonstrated that wave produced momentum flux produces considerable deviations of the wind velocity profile in the lower part of the wave boundary layer from the logarithmic profile.