Wavelet Analysis of an Extreme Wave in a Model Basin

Analyses of laboratory wave records including extreme crests, based on the continuous wavelet transform, are reported. The analyses have provided further insight into the spectral characteristics of these extreme events. During the period of the extreme wave crest, spectral levels over all frequencies are substantially elevated by comparison with average spectrum for the complete wave record. This was also observed in a similar analysis of the famous New Year wave event that occurred at the Draupner platform. The analyses also indicate that nonlinear effects are active during the crest event, second-order effects being particular strong and indicating phase-locking of high frequency waves to freely-propagating waves with frequencies close to the spectral peak. These nonlinear effects appear to be strong only in the vicinity of the extreme.