Wave-current interaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wave-current interaction - Essay Example These powerful and varied forces can wreak considerable damage on a wide variety of human activity, making â€Å"reliable prediction of wave motion in coastal areas †¦ crucial to coastal engineering applications associated with nearshore morphologic change and harbor/inlet maintenance †¦ In some areas, however, ambient tidal and other currents can be strong and their effect on wave transformation can be substantial. They create a Doppler shift and cause wave refraction, reflection and breaking, which can result in overall redistribution of wave energy† (Chen, Panchang & Demirbilek, 2005). An understanding of several key terms is necessary to the discussion. The term wave-current interaction is used to describe the various ways in which wave height, wave length and wave energy are affected when a wave encounters a current (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea, 1998). â€Å"Wave height is the distance from a waves trough to its crest †¦ The crest is the top of an unbroken wave, the trough is at the bottom of the front of the wave† (Wave Basics, 2006). Wave length is generally accepted to mean â€Å"the distance in a periodic wave between two points of corresponding phase in consecutive cycles† (Stewart, 2005) or a measurement of â€Å"the length between the top point of one wave, and the top of the next† (Explaining Waves, 2005). Wave energy can be explained as a concentrated form of solar energy as swells are created by the interaction of wind on the water surface, transferring solar energy to the water (Ocean Wave Energy, 20 05). Prediction of these wave motions are made complicated with the introduction of refraction, reflection and breaking. Refraction is â€Å"a process in which the wave crests tend to parallel the depth contours† (Coastal Change, 2003) upon entering shallow waters. â€Å"The reflection of