Can stochastic, dissipative wave fields be treated as random walk generators

Abstract

A suggestion by Meek et al. (1985) that the gravity wave field be viewed as stochastic, with significant nonlinearities, is applied to calculate diffusivities. The purpose here is to calculate the diffusivity for stochastic wave model and compare it with previous diffusivity estimates. The researchers do this for an idealized case in which the wind velocity changes but slowly, and for which saturation is the principal mechanism by which wave energy is lost. A related calculation was given in a very brief way (Weinstock, 1976), but the approximations were not fully justified, nor were the physical pre-suppositions clearly explained. The observations of Meek et al. (1985) have clarified the pre-suppositions for the researchers and provided a rationalization and improvement of the approximations employed.