Statistics for wave crests in heavy seas

Statistics for wave crests in heavy seas are described for Bretschneider and Jonswap sea states using scale measurements from laboratory simulations. Attention is directed toward the relative number of high waves expected at a fixed location and the average manner in which these waves come along. The Rayleigh probability law and Markov theory are used to provide a theoretical basis for predictions. Nonlinear effects are included using a Stokes correction. Results from computer simulations are used for comparison purposes.