The book describes what these models are, what they are based on, how they function, and then, most innovatively, how they can be used to generate new useful knowledge about the environmental system.

Discusses this generation of knowledge by computer models from an epistemological perspective and illustrates it by numerous examples from applied and fundamental research.

Includes ample technical appendices and is a valuable source of information for graduate students and scientists alike working in the field of environmental sciences.

This book addresses both fundamental and applied aspects of ocean waves including the use of wave observations made from satellites. More specifically it describes the WAM model, its scientific basis, its actual implementation, and its many applications. The three sections of the volume describe the basic statistical theory and the relevant physical processes; the numerical model and its global and regional applications; and satellite observations, their interpretation and use in data assimilation.