Wind Generated Ocean Waves

The goals of wind wave research are relatively well defined: to be able to predict the wind wave field and its effect on the environment. That environment could be natural (beaches, the atmosphere etc.) or imposed by human endeavour (ports, harbours, coastal settlements etc.). Although the goals are similar, the specific requirements of these various fields differ considerably.

This book attempts to summarise the current state of this knowledge and to place this understanding into a common frame work. It attempts to take a balanced approach between the pragmatic engineering view of requiring a short term result and the scientific quest for detailed understanding. Thus, it attempts to provide a rigorous description of the physical processes involved as well as practical predictive tools.

Review: (Robert E. Jensen, Coastal & Hydraulics Laboratory) (...)I thoroughly enjoyed reading Wind Generated Ocean Waves. As the introduction states, this book attempts to summarize the current state of this knowledge and to place this understanding into a common framework and attempts to take a balanced approach between the pragmatic engineering view of requiring a short-term result and the scientific quest for detailed understanding.

The task of writing such a work with these expectations is a difficult one; however, Young has clearly fulfilled these goals. Wind Generated Ocean Waves is outstanding and I believe it would be an excellent addition for anyone who is serious about this field of study. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society