Wave Data Discretization for Shore Line Processes

The use of synoptic atlases of wave climatologies for determining shore line evolution is examined critically. It is concluded that the fineness of discretization of wave height is not too important, as long as energy is conserved, but a fine discretization of wave angle is needed. Due to importance of order of sequential wave events or time history of the wave input, a Monte Carlo simulation of the wave climatology is proposed to determine shore line location probabilistically instead of deterministically.