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This paper presents a new methodology to reproduce the interaction between waves and floating objects over mildly variable bathymetry. The elliptic mild slope equation solves the fluid velocity potential over a domain, which does not include the near field around each object. The waves scattered by the floating bodies are considered by means of boundary conditions at the edges of the near field areas. The coefficients of these boundary conditions are obtained nesting the solution of a near field three dimensional solver with the elliptic model solution. Comparison with a 3D numerical model, which solves the potential flow field over the whole domain, is used to validate the proposed approach. An example of application to reproduce the wave field around an array of wave energy converters is presented.

During the earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2012, between the Negros and Cebu islands (Philippines), a scuba diver who was about 12 km from the epicenter zone, in about 10 m water depth, was taking audio and video recordings using a GoPro camera. The recorded audio reveals a specific spectral signature few seconds after the earthquake occurrence that appears to be related to hydroacoustic waves. Numerical reproduction of the phenomenon produced waves exhibit a frequency spectrum similar to that recorded. Several previous researches, based on theoretical and/or numerical approaches, indicate that hydroacoustic waves are tsunami precursors and can significantly improve the Tsunami Early Warning System. Currently, such pressure waves generated by submarine earthquakes are seldom measured. Therefore, the records presented in this paper can enhance the research on the in situ data analysis.

A numerical model based on the mild-slope equation is applied to reproduce the propagation of small-amplitude transient waves. The model makes use of the Fourier Transform to convert the time-dependent hyperbolic equation into a set of elliptic equations in the frequency domain. The results of two available experimental studies on tsunamis generated by landslides are used to validate the model, which appears to be able of carefully reproducing the effects of the frequency dispersion. An example application of tsunamis propagating around the Stromboli island is also presented to show the applicability of the present approach to real life scenarios. It is finally discussed how this model could be applied as support to a tsunami early warning system. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We investigate the role of a viscous compressible sedimentary layer underlying sea water on the formation, propagation and attenuation of hydro-acoustic waves. The analysis of low frequency pressure waves can be used for evaluation of stratified sediment structure. Two models based on depth-integration, for rigid and permeable sea bed are presented. The hydro-acoustic waves modeling, hereinafter presented can be used for tsunami prediction in large scale domains, overcoming computational difficulties of three-dimensional models and therefore enhance the promptness and accuracy of Tsunami Early Warning Systems (TEWS).