Abstract
Abstract The steep and complex crest structure of a spilling breaking wave was studied in the laboratory by repeated slope measurements at a fixed observation point of a sequence of virtually identical breaking waves. These waves were generated using a repeatable converging wave packet with maximum frequency of 1 Hz. A fixed laser beam was directed vertically downward from the air into the water, and the location of the refracted beam was measured with a photodiode array to provide the water surface slope as the wave passed the laser beam. A maximum slope of 74° was consistently measured just forward of the breaking wave crest with the crest region itself showing less repeatability, which was probably due to parasitic capillary waves. Before reaching its maximum, the slope reveals a two-stage spatial variation. A moderate rate of increase was first observed between 0° and 44°, then the wave slope increased sharply to 74°; the horizontal translation of the crest corresponding to the interval for the slope ...
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