On Vertical Variations of Wave-Induced Radiation Stress Tensor

The flux of momentum generated by an incident wave field, commonly known as the radiation stress, plays an important role in near-shore water circulation. Many researchers use the concept of radiation stress in the calculation of cross-shore and long-shore circulation. In this paper, the traditional concept is extended to the case of vertical variation of radiation stress, and analitycal expressions for the vertical profile of radiation stress are derived. The distributions of the wave-induced radiation stress tensor with depth are studied by linear wave theory. The application of radiation stress with vertical variation is expected to play an important role in further studies of the near-shore system. Information regarding the vertical distribution of the radiation stress components ( and ) resulting from obliquely incident, shoaling waves is provided. The results show that the vertical variations of the wave-induced radiation stress tensor are significant as regards of wave propagation.