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The nonlinear evolution and approximate scaling of directionally spread wave groups on deep water

This paper extended results already published for uni-directional waves to the import, and more realistic, case of directionally spread waves, highlighting the differences between these cases. In particular we showed analytically that in directionally spread sea-states, large waves will expand laterally, forming the "walls-of-water" which fit in with accounts by mariners of giant waves. Achieving a better scientific understanding of such phenomena should lead to improved safety at sea. The paper also describes a new approximate scaling of for ocean waves, which captures the dominant non-linear physics governing the evolution of ocean waves.