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10 0
10 −10
10 −1
10 0
10 1
10 0
10 −10
10 −1
10 0
10 1
1
0.5
0
10 −1
10 0
10 1
100
0
−100
10 −1
10 0
10 1
frequency
Figure 4.6 Numerical simulations (see Figure 4.5 ). Dimensionless wave period is 1. Co-spectra of
running skewness and asymmetry for waves of IMS = 0 . 13 , U / c = 10 . 0, 19 wave periods to break-
ing. (top panel) Skewness spectrum. (second top panel) Asymmetry spectrum. (second bottom panel)
Coherence spectrum. (bottom panel) Phase spectrum (in degrees), positive phase means asymmetry
is leading. Dashed line shows 90 phase shift
Figure 4.7 shows a composite set of fetch-versus-steepness dependences for different
values of wind forcing U
11. The fetch is expressed in dimensionless terms of
number of wavelengths to breaking at a particular IMS
/
c
=
1
ak .
As shown in Babanin et al. ( 2007a ), a wave with no superimposed wind forcing and
IMS
=
1 will never break, even though it will exhibit oscillations of steepness, asym-
metry and skewness similar to those shown in Figures 4.1 , 4.2 and 4.5 . The evolution of
such waves is not plotted in the figure, and in fact we do not plot IMS
<
0
.
17 because such
development to breaking is too slow for the purpose of demonstration. The upper limit of
steepness included is IMS
<
0
.
3 will break immediately, within
one wavelength/period. Between these two limits, the dimensionless distance to breaking
decreases with increasing IMS.
Figure 4.7 allows the estimation, based on numerical simulations with the CS model,
of when a two-dimensional wave breaks. For example, it will take a wave of IMS
=
0
.
28 as waves with IMS
>
0
.
=
0
.
24
six wavelengths to reach the point of breaking under U
/
c
=
8
.
5, and 11 wavelengths
under U
/
c
=
8
.
0, and 11 wavelengths under U
/
c
=
7
.
5. If wind forcing is reduced
 
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