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Stochastic Parametrization of Wave Breaking
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  • Juan Restrepo,
  • Jorge Ramirez,
  • Ken Melville,
  • Luc Deike
Juan Restrepo

Corresponding Author:restrepo@math.oregonstate.edu

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Jorge Ramirez
Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellin
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Ken Melville
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Luc Deike
Princeton University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
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Abstract

Wave breaking transfers momentum between waves to currents. In doing so it dissipates wave energy and affects long-term dispersion and transport of tracers, Wave breaking also affects the transfer of wind stresses to the ocean and is a major player in ocean acoustics, the dynamics of near-surface gas exchanges and the dynamics of phytoplankton and buoyant pollutants. Progressive waves were generated numerically using Gerris [6]. The velocity field was then used to estimate Lagrangian parcel dynamics in the neighborhood of the breaking event. The trans- port generated by the breaking events is shown to be significant, when compared to the wave-generated residual flow, as captured by the Stokes drift. We formulate a parametrization of the break- ing velocity based upon an analysis of the Largrangian dynamics of fluid parcels. Further, we describe how the breaking velocity is incorporated in the vortex force formulation of wave current interactions [1, 2].