Wave Height and Period Distribution Off the Southwest Coast of India

Abstract

Wave-by-wave analysis is conducted on typical wave records collected at 4 locations. Distributions of wave heights and periods are investigated against some theoretical distribution functions. The shallow water wave heights in general may be explained by Gluhovski distribution, which takes the form of Rayleigh for relative wave heights (H/d) equal to zero. For H/d approaching zero, which is observed in the case of postmonsoon swell dominated wave climate, wave height distribution follows Rayleigh. Rayleigh distribution for the square of the wave period fits the swell wave conditions than that of the sea. The present data do not conform to the joint distribution suggested by Gluhovski or Bretschneider as considerable correlation, with values of gamma (H, tau) ranging from 0.06 to 0.69, is observed between heights and periods. Some of these observations are found to be extendable also to other areas in the West Coast of India.