Wind-over-Wave Couplings: Perspectives and Prospects (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications Conference Series)

One of the most familiar phenomena on the planet, water waves remain an elusive question for science. The way in which wind blows over water and causes waves is a very active area of research for applied mathematicians, as well as for oceanographers and engineers. The basic mechanisms are still a matter of controversy, although the use of modern techniques of asymptotic and non-linear analysis and large-scale computation, as well as experimental structures, are beginning to reveal the underlying mechanics. These studies are resulting in increasingly powerful methods of forecasting waves and of gauging and controlling their effects on such things as sediment, pollution, and offshore structures. This volume covers the wide range of current research on the relationship between wind and waves and includes contributions from many of the leading authorities in the field.