A statistical model of random wave is developed using Stokes wave theory of water wave dynamics. A new nonlinear probability distribution function of wave height is presented. The results indicate that wave steepness not only could be a parameter of the distribution function of wave height but also could reflect the degree of wave height distribution deviation from the Rayleigh distribution. The new wave height distribution overcomes the problem of Rayleigh distribution that the prediction of big wave is overestimated and the general wave is underestimated. The prediction of small probability wave height value of new distribution is also smaller than that of Rayleigh distribution. Wave height data taken from East China Normal University are used to verify the new distribution. The results in- dicate that the new distribution fits the measurements much better than the Rayleigh distribution.
HOU Yijun1, GUO Peifang1,2, SONG Guiting1,2, SONG Jinbao1, YIN Baoshu1 & ZHAO Xixi1,2 1. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
It is traditionally assumed that the relationship between wave steepness and wave age is inde- pendent of the wind wave growth state. In fact, the traditional relationship can not describe the whole course of wind wave growth. This paper assumes that the relationship between wave steepness and wave age changes with the variety of dimensionless fetch. Based on the relationship proposed by Hou and Wen (1990), a new relation- ship in the course of wind wave growth is revealed. Comparisons between the present study and other previous relationships show that this new relationship explains better the observations than the other existing relationships. In the case of small fetch, wave age value increases more quickly than other models while it is in opposition to that in the case of large fetch. The result in present paper can clearly reflect the whole course of wind wave growth, it is an improvement for traditional results.Key words: wave steepness, wave age, relationship between wave steepness and wave
