Linear wave theory predicts that in a random sea, the shape of the average wave is given by the scaled autocorrelation function — the "NewWave". However, the gravity wave problem is non-linear. Numerical simulations of waves on deep water have suggested that their average shape can become modified in a number of ways, including the largest wave in a group tending to move to the front of the group through non-linear dispersion. In this paper we examine whether this occurs for waves in the Norwegian Sea. Field data measured from the weather ship Po-larfront is analysed for the period 2000 to 2009. We find that, at this location, the effect of non-linearity is small due to the moderate steepness of the sea-states.
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