Extreme waves in directional wave fields traversing uniform currents

Laboratory experiments have been carried out in the directional wave tank at Marintek (Norway) to study the nonlinear dynamics of surface gravity waves and the occurrence of extreme events, when the wave field traverses obliquely an ambient current. A condition of partial opposition has been considered. Tests on regular waves have shown that the current can trigger the formation of large amplitude waves. In random wave fields, however, this only results in a weak deviation from the statistical properties observed in absence of a current.