7.2 Development of Numerical Wind-Wave Forecasting and HindcastingTechnology: Contributions by Vincent Cardone

Tuesday, 14 January 2020: 3:15 PM
158 (Boston Convention and Exhibition Center)
Charles L. Vincent, Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Numerical approaches to estimate wave conditions for engineering and operational activities grew
out of the pioneering efforts to extend observation-based dimensionless formulae for growth
developed during and shortly after World War II. The necessity to make accurate wave forecasts
and climate estimates was driven by the need to support the troop landings in Normandy, Sicily and
across the Eastern Pacific Islands for the military and to support levee designs for flood protection
in places like Lake Okeechobee in Florida. The key technological advance to move to numerical
simulation came from the recognition that the surface time history could be analyzed via a Fourier
transform and the complex wave field statistically represented by directional, frequency and wave
number spectra. This in turn lead to the development of the various source and sink terms as applied
in the radiative transfer equation that us at the heart of wave models today. Cardone was a contributor
in the earlier generation of models for the Navy and a leader in the development of what is generally
termed second generation wave models such as the one he developed for the Navy and further
improved and used in his consulting practice. He was also a regular contributor to discussions and
development of the current (third) generation of models.
Having a numerical spectral wave model is one component. Establishing an integrated system of
wind models or fields that can force the model to provide accurate results becomes as important.
Cardone helped develop atmospheric boundary layer models to create physically consistent wind and
stress fields to drive the models. For the tropical cyclone problem, Cardone developed technology
to reconstruct historic hurricane/cyclones for development of hurricane wave climates that were
widely used in the commercial sphere to design many maritime structures around the world. The
quality of these studies helped convince research sponsors to continue to invest in the wind wave
problem and the sequence of reports and papers by Cardone and his co-authors ultimately led to the
standard of practice of for wave hindcasting.
Cardone was a tireless collaborator and contributor, attending a great many workshops and planning
meetings in which he contributed his time and intellect to move forward solutions to problems in
wave forecasting and hindcasting. While having clear views of his own approaches, he routinely
encouraged and assisted those wanting to follow different paths, often finding ways to make data
available for community uses. This collaborative spirit helped establish the team culture routinely
adopted by the wave community via such groups such as WAM, SWAN, Wavewatch and Wise.
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