Two main components can be usually distinguished in the structure of surface waves: wind waves and swell.
Usually, the characteristics of wave field are presented as a set of integral parameters (significant wave height, mean period, general direction of propagation). Such an approach is justified in the case of one-dimensional wave field. If the wave spectrum is formed as a result of interaction between several wave systems it is reasonable to obtain separate wave characteristics for each of these systems.
Besides the fundamental scientific interest to the problem, separation of the wave field into individual components makes possible:
- more correctly describe the spatiotemporal structure of surface waves;
- efficiently calculate wave loads on the constructions in the coastal zone and forecast hazardous phenomena in closed basins (low frequency oscillations);
- clarify the schemes of redistribution and transport of bottom sediments;
- improve prognostic estimates of the wave situations for navigation at sea.
The main objective of our work is to estimate the climatic peculiarities of the distribution of wind waves and swell in the Black Sea. The method of our research is numerical modeling. We tuned the spectral wave model DHI MIKE 21 SW for automatic separation of the components of surface waves. We estimated the peculiarities of the spatial distribution of the power of wind waves and swell in the basin of the Black Sea in the last 38 years (1979-2016). We determined the regions of domination of wind waves and swell in the field of mixed waves.