ABSTRACT
Wind-induced waves are being formed due to the wind power transferred to waves by the direct pressure of an air flow and its friction about a wave surface. The stronger the wind, the larger the wave. It is known that some empirical data about conditions increase the possibility of an occurrence of a huge wave. In particular, these waves may be excited by a wind blowing in one direction for 12 or more hours. Thus, the wave height strongly depends on the speed and duration of wind. Waves cannot continue to build in height infinitely if the duration increases. At some point, the waves start breaking and their energy is dissipated by strong nonlinear mechanisms like foaming and atomization of the wave surface.
The main objective of this Chapter is to give the description and an explanation of a phenomenon of occurrence of catastrophic oceanic waves excited by a wind in a simple and clear form. Therefore, an analytical analysis is used to explain their occurrence.
The modified version of one-dimensional theory of waves developed in Chapter 1 of this book is used. In particular, certain approach suggested by Jeffreys is introduced in the theory describing the wave–wind resonance.
