Effects of water depth and spectral bandwidth on Stokes drift estimation based on short-term variation of wave conditions

Abstract

The paper provides a simple analytical method which can be used to give estimates of the Stokes drift in moderate intermediate water depth based on short-term variation of wave conditions. This is achieved by providing statistical properties of the surface Stokes drift and the volume Stokes transport for individual random waves within a sea state, including the mean values, the standard deviations and the probability density functions. The effects of water depth and spectral bandwidth parameter are discussed. Examples of results corresponding to typical field conditions are also presented including the Stokes drift velocity profile in the water column beneath the surface.