Further Correlation of Scott Spectra with Ocean Wave Data

In a recent paper, Dattatri compared the Scott spectrum with the energy spectrum obtained from the waves recorded off the west cost of India. They showed good correlation of the data with the theoretical spectral model. The Scott spectral formula is independent of the wind speed, fetch or duration and, as such, should represent a fully developed sea spectrum. However, waves in the ocean are, generally, partially developed, particularly during a storm. Because of the complexity of the wave generation under these conditions, it is probably impossible to predict a generation model in a simple mathematical formula that accounts for all possible atmospheric instabilities. On the other hand, for simplicity in the analysis, the long-term predictions of an offshore structure must depend on a simple mathematical spectral model in the lack of actual measured data. Therefore, it is always of interest to compare available measured data from various parts of the world under different environmental conditions with these mathematical models.