FY 2014 Waves and the equilibrium range at Ocean Weather Station P Thomson, J., E. D'Asaro, M.F. Cronin, W.E. Rogers, R.R. Harcourt, and A. Shcherbina J. Geophys. Res., 118(11), 5951–5962, doi: 10.1002/2013JC008837 (2013) Wave and wind measurements at Ocean Weather Station P (OWS-P, 50°N 145°W) are used to evaluate the equilibrium range of surface wave energy spectra. Observations are consistent with a local balance between wind input and breaking dissipation, as described by Phillips [1985]. The measurements include direct covariance wind stress estimates and wave breaking dissipation rate estimates during a 3 week research cruise to OWS-P. The analysis is extended to a wider range of conditions using observations of wave energy spectra and wind speed during a 2 year mooring deployment at OWS-P. At moderate wind speeds (5–15 m/s), mooring wave spectra are in agreement, within 5% uncertainty, with the forcing implied by standard drag laws and mooring wind measurements. At high wind speeds (>15 m/s), mooring wave spectra are biased low, by 13%, relative to the forcing implied by standard drag laws and mooring wind measurements. Deviations from equilibrium are associated with directionality and variations at the swell frequencies. A spectral wave hindcast accurately reproduces the mooring observations, and is used to examine the wind input. Feature Publications | Outstanding Scientific Publications Contact Sandra Bigley | Help
