Investigation of Seasonal Variation of Wave Energy Density around Jeju Sea based on Long-Term Simulated Wave Data

摘要

Wave power distribution is investigated to find out the optimal sites for wave power generation at Jeju sea which is considered to contain the highest wave energy density in Korean coastal waters. The spatial and seasonal variation of wave power per unit length is calculated in Jeju sea area based on monthly mean wave data from 1979 to 2002 which was produced by SWAN wave model simulation. The selected favorable locations for wave power generation are compared in terms of magnitude of wave energy density and distribution characteristics of wave parameters, suggesting that Chagui-Do is the most optimal site for wave power generation at Jeju sea. The seasonal distribution of wave energy density reveals that the highest wave energy density occurs at northwest sea in the winter and it is dominated by wind waves, while the second highest one happens at south sea in the summer and it is dominated by swell sea. The annual average of wave energy density gradually increases from east to west of Jeju sea. At Chagui-Do, the energy density of swell sea is relatively uniform while the energy density of wind waves is fluctuating. The distribution of wave directions implies that except the rear region of island influenced by wave refraction, the northwest wave direction is dominant in summer and the southeast in winter. Wave periods are longer in summer and winter and it appears relatively longer at the west sea of Jeju than east's. The longest wave period occurs at the west sea in winter, and in summer it appears relatively homogeneous with a little longer period at the south sea.