Variability of Wave Energy Flux and Wind during Phailin ... · Phailin cyclone was presented in Fig.1. Real time observation of Directional Wave Rider Buoy (DWRB) recorded the maximum

International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 13, Number 16 (2018) pp. 12792-12797

© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

12792

Variability of Wave Energy Flux and Wind during Phailin Cyclone over Bay

of Bengal

Pamarthi Amarendra1,2* and Gogineni Bharathi1

1 Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam – 530003, India. 2 Center for Studies on Bay of Bengal, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam – 530003, India.

*Corresponding Author

Abstract

The studies on wave and wind over the ocean during cyclone

period provide best knowledge for the protection coasts. The

spatial distribution of wind and wave energy over the Bay of

Bengal during cyclone Phailin is studied. Maximum wind

stress is noticed during landfall of cyclone off Gopalpur,

Odisha, the wave energy is also maximum during this period

near Gopalpur. It reached a value of 198.82kJ/m2. Wave and

wind plays a major role in ocean engineering, Pollution,

currents, coastal processes, livelihood in coastal area,

exploration of natural resources and its maintenance and daily

ship routing. This present work helps in coastal engineering

and livelihood of coastal areas.

Keywords: Wave energy, Wind, Cyclone and Coastal area

INTRODUCTION

Ocean waves are generated due to disturbance caused by wind

over the ocean surface. When the air blowing parallel to a

water body surface imparts motion to the surface water by

shear. This is a downward transfer of momentum from the air

to the water that ultimately generates a drift current

underneath. The following water surface also deforms under

the action of wind and becomes wavy for increasing wind

speeds. These are travels for longer distance from the fetch as

swell. Knowledge on wave environment during cyclonic

storms helps in Offshore/Coastal engineering applications,

planning, protecting livelihood in the coastal areas.

Sometimes these open ocean swells associated with cyclone

induced swells over the seas, results in high waves over the

coastal waters off India. Phailin cyclone formed over

Andaman Sea on 5th October 2013 and moved towards east

coast of India over Bay of Bengal. The life of the system is

ten days that is from 5th to 14th October 2013. The system

moved with an average speed of 16kmph and the landfall was

at Gopalpur, Odisha on 12th October 2013. The track of the

Phailin cyclone was presented in Fig.1.

Real time observation of Directional Wave Rider Buoy

(DWRB) recorded the maximum significant wave height

(SWH, Hs) of 7.3m and maximum wave height of 13.5m

(Amrutha et al., 2014). Murthy et al, 2014 observed the storm

surge height during this cyclone raised up to 30% near off

Gopalpur. When system moving towards land the circular

pattern turned into southward-flow currents (Manu et al,

2015) observed from high frequency radar (HFR) at Gopalpur.

Southern ocean swells with a peak period of 20-22sec hitting

Gopalpur coast along with the cyclone generated waves (Nair

et al, 2014). Leo et al, 2012 reported that cross swell,

dominant in large regions of hurricanes, allows the roughness

under high wind conditions to increase considerably before it

reduces to the same low values. The wave energies during

cyclones are studied by Powell et al, 2010; Kumar et al, 2013;

Zamani et al, 2015 and Chandramohan et al, 1991 reported

climate o Bay of Bengal.

Figure 1. Phailin cyclone track

DATA AND METHODOLOGY

For this present study remote sensing multi mission merged

products of Archiving Validating and Interpreting Satellite

Oceanographic (AVISO) data were used. The merged

significant wave height data was generated using Interim

Geophysical Data Records (IGDR) for each satellite. Data

products were cross calibrated using OSTM/Jason-2 as

reference mission. The Near Real Time (NRT) merged

significant wave heights is with a spatial resolution of 1oX1o.

In addition National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA)’s Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) providing

25km and 50km and high resolution wind products are utilised

for this study. Merged products of Altimeter and ASCAT

wind data is used for the period from 5th to 13th October 2013.

Wave energy is computed by using the equation = 1

16𝜌𝑤𝑔𝐻2

, where 𝜌𝑤 is density of water, g is the acceleration due to

gravity, and H is the wave height. Meridional and Zonal wind

speed is used to obtain wind speed and wind stress

respectively. The wind stress is computed by using 𝜏𝑤 =𝜌𝑎𝐶𝐷𝑈2, where 𝜌𝑎is the density of air, 𝐶𝐷 is drag coefficient,

U is the wind speed component.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The variability of Wave and wind characteristics during very

severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) Phailin from 5th October 2013

to 13th October 2013 is studied.

Figure 2. Spatial variability of Zonal wind during cyclone period from 5th to 13th October, 2013. Here contour represents the

estimated wind stress at that time.

The zonal wind characteristics during the cyclone period over

Bay of Bengal are presented in Fig.2. westerlies are

dominating from 5th to 7th October and easterlies are present

on 8th over North Bay of Bengal. From 9th onwards, easterlies

are dominant in the right of the cyclone track with magnitude

of 10m/s, on the left side of the cyclone track, westerlies are

dominating with magnitude of 26m/s. as the system moved

close the coast on 11th October easterlies gained maximum up

to 16m/s and westerlies decreased. During four days from 10th

to 12th October till the time of cyclone landfall easterlies are

very strong. In the figure contours shows zonal-wind stress on

local waters is up to 1Pa during landfall of the cyclone on 12th

October 2013 off Gopalpur, Odisha.

05 06 07

08 09 10

11 12 13



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Figure 3. Spatial variability of Meridional wind during cyclone period from 5th to 13th October, 2013. Here contour represents the

estimated wind stress at that time.

The spatial and temporal distribution of the meridional wind

characteristics during cyclone is presented in Fig.3. The role

of northerlies is very less during this period. Southerlies are

predominant with highest magnitude. During landfall of the

cyclone on 12th southerlies are very strong of magnitude

24m/s. In the figure contours shows meridional-wind stress on

local waters is up to 0.9Pa during landfall of the cyclone on

12th October 2013 off Gopalpur, Odisha.

05 06

11 12 13

10 09 08

07



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Figure 4. Spatial variability of wind speed during cyclone period from 5th to 13th October, 2013. Here contour represents the

estimated wind stress (in Pascal)at that time.

The variability of wind speed over Bay of Bengal during

Phailin cyclone is presented in Fig.4. Till 8th of October wind

speed over Northern Bay of Bengal is up to 4m/s. After 9th

onwards wind speed is gradually increased with

intensification and movement of the system towards east coast

of India. From 11th onwards area of intensive wind field

increased and wind speed on 12th is 24m/s. During landfall of

the cyclone on 12th wind stress is 1.2Pa.

12

07 06 05

13 11

10 09 08



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Figure 5. Spatial variability of wave energy flux during cyclone period from 5th to 13th October, 2013.

Here contour represents the estimated wave energy.

The spatial distribution of wave energy over Bay of Bengal

during the cyclone is present on Fig.5. The wave energy is

50kJ/m2 till 10th. From 12th onwards it gradually increased to

60kJ/m2. Maximum wave energy 198.82 kJ/m2 is observed off

Gopalpur on 12th during landfall of the cyclone. It is remained

as high as 172.68kJ/m2 on 13th and then gradually decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

The system was moved at an average speed of 16kmph. In

wind westerlies and southerlies are very strong, among

southerlies are predominant during this period with magnitude

24m/s. Before movement of system towards land wind speed

is very less on right of the cyclone track (Northern Bay of

Bengal) is 4m/s, during the landfall of the cyclone wind

reached maximum up to 25m/s on 12th on left side of the

cyclone track. The remote sensing data products give great

opportunity to study the spatial and temporal effect of the

natural disasters.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Authors are sincerely thankful to AVISO team, NOAA team

for providing the required data for this study, also FERRET

team for analysis tool and Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.

REFERENCES

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Documents

Variability of Wave Energy Flux and Wind during Phailin ... · Phailin cyclone was presented in Fig.1. Real time observation of Directional Wave Rider Buoy (DWRB) recorded the maximum