The Goddard coastal wave model. Part II: Kinematics

Abstract

A new coastal wave model is being developed to study air-sea interaction processes in the coastal region. The kinematics of this model, which govern the wave propagation, are reported. This new model is based on the action conservation equation rather than on the energy transport equation; it also employs the full nonlinear dispersion relationship in water of arbitrary depth. With these improvements, it includes nonstationary wave-current interaction processes and functions in coastal regions with variable finite water depths. Numerical results show that these changes cause significant differences between the new model and the WAM model when waves encounter any steady or unsteady current, and when waves propagate over changing bottom topography in a shallow water region. Such conditions are very common and should not be neglected in the coastal regions.