MODELING THE EFFECT OF SHELTER IN THE MODIFICATION OF WAVES FROM THE OPEN SEA TO NEAR-SHORE

An efficient method has been developed to compute the wave conditions in sheltered areas from the open sea directional spectrum using a reve rse tracing wave ray model with weighted spectral filtering. The resul ts were verified for Porto Cachorro - Azores, surrounded by several is lands with an intricate geometry, and for Sines, at the west coast of Portugal. The range of applicability of this type of ray model seems t o lie at the transition between the open sea, well represented through large-scale wind-wave models, and the zones close to shore where shal low water wave breaking (not represented in the model) begins to play a dominant and decisive role.