A GENERALIZED PARAMETRIC WIND-WAVE MODEL

I have refined and generalized an existing parametric lake wind wave model to clearly relate the model parameters to the wave spectrum and momentum balance. By solving the model analytically for a simple wave growth case, I show that the generalized model can be easily adapted to advances in the description of the wind wave spectrum and the form of the wave growth function. Case studies on the Great Lakes demonstrate that systematic errors in the output wave period can be corrected by changing output dependent parameters and the wave decay adjustment. I also add a simple, economical, shallow water parameterization. Use of the generalized model form will make it easier for the non-specialist to simulate wave conditions on the Great Lakes.