Significant wave height, or
Enhanced winds at the surface (effect from storms): Storms produce strong winds which create waves through an exchange of momentum between the atmosphere and ocean (Holthuijsen 2010). These waves are known as wind-sea. Wind-sea waves typically have shorter periods and amplitudes resulting in less wave energy. Their larger counterparts, known as swell, have longer periods and much higher amplitudes. Swell do not typically feel the affect of winds because of their already high wave energy. Because of our focus on submesoscale processes, we will not be focusing on this fairly large scale process but it is worth being noted due to appearing in our analysis.
Refraction (non-local effect):
Refraction leads to convergences and divergences of wave action which results in spatial gradients of
Enhanced winds at the surface (local effect):
When crossing from the cold side to the warm side of a temperature front, there is a decrease in the vertical stability of the atmosphere which intensifies the turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. Because of this, near-surface wind shear is amplified and increases near-surface winds (Frenger et al. 2013). These near-surface winds create wind-sea. While they are present in a physical sense, when analyzing
Concertina effect (local effect): This effect can work both ways. If current and wave directions are aligned and moving in the same direction, wave height can decrease from currents stretching the waves and influencing a longer period. If current and wave directions are aligned and moving in opposing directions, wave height can increase from currents pushing the into waves and influencing a shorter period. The impact of this effect is stronger on wind-sea waves because of their lower energy.