Macro-Turbulence From Wind Waves

Abstract

Laboratory studies m a wind wave flume were carried out to investigate the macro-scale turbulence associated with wind waves and white cap conditions Velocity fluctuations m water were measured with a hot film anemometer and parametric correlations between wind waves and turbulence characteristics were established Measured data were recorded m analog form, digitized and stored on magnetic tape Auto - covanance functions and power spectral density functions were then obtained for all sample records Results showed that the depth of the penetration of the macro-scale turbulence increased rapidly with wind speed but the rate of penetration diminished at the higher wind speeds This rate of macro-turbulence penetration was found to vary inversely with wave height and wave steepness Most turbulent fluctuations having frequencies equal to or higher than the frequency of the ambient surface waves were confined to the zone of macro-turbulence penetration although some disturbances such as vortex rings and other turbulence associated with white cap wave conditions occasionally penetrated to greater depths It was found that the energy dissipation increased with wave height and that almost all wave energy dissipation was concentrated near the water surface.