Observation of a giant nonlinear wave-packet on the surface of the ocean

Miguel Onorato,Luigi Cavaleri,Stephane Randoux,Marta De Alfonso,Maria Isabel Ruiz,Alvise Benetazzo,Pierre Suret

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-02875-y

Abstract

In many physical systems such as ocean waves, nonlinear optics, plasma physics etc., extreme events and rare fluctuations of a wave field have been widely observed and discussed. In the field of oceanography and naval architecture, their understanding is fundamental for a correct design of platforms and ships, and for performing safe operations at sea. Here, we report a measurement of an impressive and unique wave packet recorded in the Bay of Biscay in the North-East of the Atlantic Ocean. An analysis of the spatial extension of the packet that includes three large waves reveals that it extents for more than 1 km, with individual crests moving faster than 100 km/h. The central and largest wave in the packet was 27.8 m high in a sea with significant wave height of 11 m. A detailed analysis of the data using the nonlinear Fourier analysis reveals that the wave packet is characterized by a non trivial nonlinear content. This observation opens a new paradigm which requires new understanding of the dynamics of ocean waves and, more in general, of nonlinear and dispersive waves.

Highlights

In many physical systems such as ocean waves, nonlinear optics, plasma physics etc., extreme events and rare fluctuations of a wave field have been widely observed and discussed
We report on a related phenomenon, i.e. the existence of a giant wave packet on the ocean surface, i.e. a group of coherent waves that emerge from a random sea state, see Fig. 1a: the central wave in the packet, the largest one, has a height of almost 27.8 m
To highlight the difference between a typical rogue wave and the giant wave-packet in Fig. 1b, we show a zoom of the measurements in the Gulf of Biscay and the well known Draupner wave12,17,: while the crest of the Draupner wave is slightly larger, the different size and volume of water involved in the two events is evident

Summary

Introduction

In many physical systems such as ocean waves, nonlinear optics, plasma physics etc., extreme events and rare fluctuations of a wave field have been widely observed and discussed. A detailed analysis of the data using the nonlinear Fourier analysis reveals that the wave packet is characterized by a non trivial nonlinear content This observation opens a new paradigm which requires new understanding of the dynamics of ocean waves and, more in general, of nonlinear and dispersive waves. The reasons is not unique: first of all wind forcing is in general turbulent and characterized by random fluctuations; surface gravity waves are dispersive, which inevitably imposes a finite life time of any localised coherent wave packet. This mechanism holds true unless nonlinearity, which is another intrinsic feature of finite amplitude ocean waves, enters into the game, balancing the dispersion.

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Results

Conclusion