Surface gravity waves exist in the oceans as multi-directional nonlinear phenomena. Understanding how these two properties interact is intrinsically important in itself. Furthermore, an understanding of this relationship may be used to gain insight into other oceanic phenomena. This thesis first describes an experimental investigation into the relationship between directionality and non-linearity (Part I). This relationship was then used as a tool to estimate the directional spreading of field data (Part II). Experiments have been conducted in which directionally spread focused wave groups were created in a wave tank. The relationship between the degree of directional spreading and the second-order bound harmonics of the wave groups was examined, in particular the formation of a `set-up'. These measurements were then compared to predictions from second-order theories, finding good agreement. The two-dimensional structure of the bound waves was explored giving new insight into the underlying physics. Experiments were then carried out for directionally spread crossing wave groups. It is believed that the crossing of two sufficiently separated wave groups may be the cause of an anomalous set-up in the second-order bound waves observed for some extreme and potentially freak waves. This set-up is reproduced experimentally. Again, the results of these test agreed very well when compared to second-order theory. The insight gained from the foregoing experiments was then utilised in the analysis of field data. A method, which requires only a single measurement to estimate the observed degree of directional spreading, was applied to a large dataset of field measurements from the North Alwyn platform in the North Sea. This method was then compared to conventional approaches, which require multiple concurrent measurements. The method that requires only a single measurement was shown to be effective, and presents a promising approach to gaining additional insight about the directional spreading of point observations.

Surface gravity waves alter the turbulence of the bottom atmosphere and the upper ocean. Accordingly, they can affect momentum flux, heat fluxes, gas exchange and atmospheric mixing. However, in most state-of-the-art Earth System Models (ESMs), surface wave influences are not fully considered or even included. Here, applying surface wave influences into ESMs is investigated from different aspects. Tuning parameterisations for including instantaneous wave influences has difficulties to capture wave influences. Increasing the horizontal resolution of models intensifies storm simulations for both atmosphere-wave coupled (considering the influence of instantaneous wave-induced stress) and stand-alone atmospheric models. However, coupled models are more sensitive to the horizontal resolution than stand-alone atmospheric models. Under high winds, wave states have a big impact on the sea spray generation. Introducing a wave-state-dependent sea spray generation function and Charnock coefficient into a wind stress parameterisation improves the model performance concerning wind speed (intensifies storms). Adding sea spray impact on heat fluxes improves the simulation results of air temperature. Adding sea spray impact both on the wind stress and heat fluxes results in better model performance on wind speed and air temperature while compared to adding only one wave influence. Swell impact on atmospheric turbulence closure schemes should be taken into account through three terms: the atmospheric mixing length scale, the swell-induced momentum flux at the surface, and the profile of swell-induced momentum flux. Introducing the swell impact on the three terms into turbulence closure schemes shows a better performance than introducing only one of the influences. Considering all surface wave impacts on the upper-ocean turbulence (wave breaking, Stokes drift interaction with the Coriolis force, Langmuir circulation, and stirring by non-breaking waves), rather than just one effect, significantly improves model performance. The non-breaking-wave-induced mixing and Langmuir circulation are the most important terms when considering the impact of waves on upper-ocean mixing. Accurate climate simulations from ESMs are very important references for social and biological systems to adapt the climate change. Comparing simulation results with measurements shows that adding surface wave influences improves model performance. Thus, an accurate description of all important wave impact processes should be correctly represented in ESMs, which are important tools to describe climate and weather. Reducing the uncertainties of simulation results from ESMs through introducing surface gravity wave influences is necessary.

This master’s thesis deals with analytical and numerical description of surface gravity waves. Wave theories and their influence on water particle movement is described in the theoretical part of the thesis. Water particle moves in the same direction as wave propagation and this phenomenon is called Stokes drift. It has a significant influence on sediment transport and floating particle movement at water free surface. The experimental part consists of wave profile monitoring and water particle tracking in a wave flume with wave generator and beach model. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulation performed in the ANSYS Fluent software. Finally, the wave profiles obtained from simulation are compared with experimental wave profiles extracted by digital image processing.