On the Nonlinear Transfer of Energy in the Peak of a Gravity Wave Spectrum

Abstract

Accurate evaluations of the nonlinear transfer of energy within a continuous spectrum of gravity waves are difficult to obtain due to the complicated form of the transfer equation. Computations that have been carried out, for instance by Sell and Hasselmann (1972) and by Webb (1977) have required quite large amounts of computer time to find values of the transfer rate at each point in the wavenumber plane. Thus it has not been practicable to produce high-resolution contour plots of this quantity for a range of different spectral forms.