Optimized wave spectrum definition for the adriatic sea

Abstract

The wave spectrum provides a short-term sea state description that is used for calculations in various engineering disciplines. Accepted theoretical models are developed for oceans and specific regions and their parameters are determined to best fit the data which is usually gathered in dedicated wave measurement campaigns. Modern numerical wave model simulations of historic periods that are calibrated with available satellite altimetry measurements provide a new data source that is comprehensive in space and time. One such dataset, the WorldWaves database, is used to revise and optimize the standard wave spectrum parameters for the Adriatic Sea. Tabain’s, wave spectrum and its modal frequency relation are revised. An optimization methodology is developed to find the parameters to best describe the Adriatic Sea waves. Ultimately, the JONSWAP wave spectrum is chosen and its parameters were optimized together with the parameters of Tabain’s modal frequency relation. An improved wave spectrum definition for the Adriatic Sea is proposed named the JONSWAP-Adriatic wave spectrum.