Surface waves modify upper ocean dynamics through Stokes drift related processes. Stokes drift estimated from a discrete wave spectrum is compared to Stokes drift approximations as a monochromatic profile based on bulk surface wave parameters, and to two additional superexponential functional forms. The impact of these different methods on ocean processes is examined in two test‐bed cases of a wave‐current coupled system: (1) a wind‐free shallow water inlet test case and (2) an idealized deep water hurricane case with high varying winds. In case (1), tidal currents and bathymetry can modify the waves and significantly affect Stokes drift computed from the wave spectrum. In case (2), rapid variation in atmospheric stress at high wind speed generates large departures from fully developed equilibrium seas. In both cases, large deviations in ocean current response are produced when the Stokes drift is approximated monochromatically from bulk wave parameters, rather than from integration over the wave spectra. Deep water simulations using the two superexponential approximations are in better agreement with those estimated from wave spectra than are those using the monochromatic, exponential profile based on bulk wave parameters. In order to represent the impact of Stokes drift at resolved scales, we recommend that for studies of nearshore processes and deep water events, like wave‐current interactions under storms, the Stokes drift should be calculated from full wave spectra. For long simulations of open ocean dynamics, methods using superexponential profiles to represent equilibrium wind seas might be sufficient, but appear to be marginally more computationally efficient.

中文翻译：

---

斯托克斯漂移的体积，频谱和深水近似：对海洋环流和面波模型的影​​响

地表波通过斯托克斯漂移相关的过程改变了上层海洋动力学。从离散波谱估计的斯托克斯漂移与基于整体表面波参数的单色分布的斯托克斯漂移近似以及两种其他超指数函数形式进行比较。在波浪流耦合系统的两个测试台案例中研究了这些不同方法对海洋过程的影响：（1）无风浅水入口测试案例；（2）高度变化的理想深水飓风案例风。在情况（1）中，潮流和测深法可以修改波浪，并显着影响根据波谱计算出的斯托克斯漂移。在情况（2）中，高风速下大气应力的快速变化会导致与充分发育的平衡海的偏离很大。在这两种情况下 当从体积波参数而不是通过波谱积分单色地近似得出斯托克斯漂移时，会在洋流响应中产生很大的偏差。与使用基于体积波参数的单色，指数分布的模拟相比，使用这两种超指数近似的深水模拟与从波谱估计的模拟更加吻合。为了表示斯托克斯漂移的分辨率，我们建议在研究近岸过程和深水事件（如风暴下的波流相互作用）时，应该从全波谱计算斯托克斯漂移。对于长时间的海洋动力学模拟，使用超指数剖面表示平衡风海的方法可能就足够了，