The study of sea waves has always been in the focus of mankind's atten tion. This is attributed not only to a desire to understand the behaviour in seas and oceans, but also, it has some practical necessity. Developing up-to date wind wave numerical methods requires detailed mathematical modelling, starting with wave generation, development, propagation and transformation on the surface in different water areas under quasi-stationary conditions, up to a synthesis of climatic features observed under different wave generation conditions in oceans, sea or coastal areas. The present monograph considers wind waves in terms of the most general formulation of the problem as a probable hydrodynamic process with wide spatial variability. It ranges between the global scale of the oceans, whose typical size is comparable with the Earth's radius, to the regional and local scales of the seas, including water areas limited in space with significant current or depth gradients in coastal zones, where waves cease their existence having propagated tens of thousand miles.
From the reviews: "The book by I. Lavrenov presents his view on the subject, based upon more than 25 years experience both in fundamental theoretical and experimental research, as well as in developing operational forecasting. ... The book contains a lot of helpful material ... . The book has a consistent underlying philosophy, being 'practically' oriented ... . Scientists and engineers concerned with practical aspects of wave modelling could definitely benefit from having it as a complementary one on their shelf." (Victor Shrira, Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 98 (3), June, 2004)