Statistical Properties of Quiescent Periods from Wave Power Spectral Density

It is well known that in most sea conditions sets of large waves alternate with sets of smaller waves. These sets of smaller waves are known as quiescent periods. With the new emerging technology of deterministic sea wave prediction (DSWP), it has become possible to predict the occurrence of these quiescent periods and hence exploit them to run safer marine operations. In this work, we present a statistical model that describes the probability distribution of the quiescent periods for a selected threshold height, based on the sea power spectral density. This work compliments the benefits of DSWP and it could serve as a planning tool to assess the favorability of a prevailing or forecasted sea state to carry out specific maritime operations. The presented method is evaluated using simulated sea waves data based on standard oceanographic spectra.