Interaction of Waves and A Turbulent Current

Abstract

An experimental investigation was made to study wave-current interaction. Wave amplitude attenuation was measured along a laboratory wave channel to compare wave dissipation with and without flow. Mean, wave, and turbulent velocities were also measured to determine the modifications of the flow imposed by the gravity waves propogating with the current. The process of energy transfer in the wavecurrent system was studied. Energy was found to be extracted from the waves, diffused downward and dissipated by an increase in bottom shear stress.