SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIABILITY STUDY OF EXTREME WIND WAVES IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE BARENTS SEA

Based on the results of retrospective wave modeling conducted for the Barents Sea from 1981 to 2022, the authors analyzed extreme wave characteristics for the central part of the Barents Sea using the SWAN model. The spatial resolution of the SWAN model in the central part of the Barents Sea was 1 km, and 3.5 km on its periphery.
An analysis of storm situations was carried out for the central part of the sea. Storms with a wind speed of more than 15 m/s, as well as periods of storm waves, in which the wave height was 2.5 m or more, were identified. It was shown that situations were possible when the development of extreme waves in one area of the central part of the sea was not accompanied by extreme waves in another. High spatial variability in wave heights was observed, associated with both storm intensity and cyclone trajectories. It was found that during the periods of the most intense cyclones, the peak value of the wave spectrum was 15.4 s, and the average period of the waves was 11,5 s, which indicated a significant contribution of swell waves to the formation of extreme waves.
The distribution of storm duration values was bimodal. Storm waves corresponding to the first group lasted 55 — 67 hours and were formed during the passage of isolated cyclones. The duration of the second group was 166—169 hours and storm waves were formed during the passage of a system of two or more simultaneously occurring cyclones. It was revealed that storm waves in the water area began significantly earlier than wind speeds reached gale force (15 m/s). This suggested that the development of storm waves at relatively low wind speed might serve as a harbinger of the coming cyclone.
In the area of the points under consideration, a weak positive trend in average and maximum monthly mean daily significant wave heights was observed only in the last two decades, and only between April and June. The increase in average monthly mean daily significant wave heights over the past 24 years has amounted to no more than 72 cm. However, the increase in maximum mean daily wave heights has reached almost 1 m.

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