Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography



2008 Spring Seminar Series

"The Depth Dependent Current and Wave Interaction Equations and a New Wave Model"

Dr. George Mellor
Professor Emeritus and Senior Oceanographer
Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Princeton University, Princeton New Jersey

Monday, April 7, 2008
3:30 PM
Room 3200, Innovation Research Building I

Abstract

The talk deals with three-dimensional wave-current interactions. It is shown that the continuity and momentum equations in the absence of surface waves can include waves after the addition of three-dimensional radiation stress terms, a fairly simple alteration for numerical ocean circulation models. The velocity which varies on time and space scales which are large compared to inverse wave frequency and wave number is denoted by and, by convention, is called the “current”. The “Stokes” drift is labeled and the “mean” velocity is . When vertically integrated, the results here are in agreement with past literature. Surface wind stress is empirical, but transfer of the stress into the water column is a function derived in this paper. The wave energy equation is derived and terms, such as the advective wave velocity, are weighted vertical integrals of the mean velocity. The wave action equation is not an appropriate substitute for the wave energy equation when the mean velocity is depth dependent. These results form the basis of a new wave model for interaction with circulation models such as the Princeton Ocean Model.

Biography

Progressing from research on small-scale turbulence exchange, Prof. Mellor’s research now concerns a three-dimensional numerical ocean model, the data required to drive the model, the evaluation of model verisimilitude, and the information that the model produces. The Princeton Ocean Model is continually being improved and is used throughout the world by a large number of research scientists and academic and government institutions. Recently, Mellor’s interests have shifted to ocean surface waves and the theory that will enable wave models to correctly interact with three-dimensional ocean models. He graduated from M.I.T. with a Sc. D., taught and did research at Princeton University since 1958. He is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union.

Reception before seminar at 3:00 PM


Old Dominion University Homepage Innovation Research Building I
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
757-683-5548
CCPO Homepage

Last updated 4/1/2008.
This page is maintained by Gabriel Franke
Copyright Info: Old Dominion University 2008