It determines the type of wave breaking on the shore and is important in several stability relations. Hs is the so-called significant wave height and Lo the deep water wave length. For the wave period several values can be chosen in irregular waves. The mean period and the peak period are often used parameters. Shoaling Waves are going slower when they reach shallow water.
Slower waves are by definition shorter waves.
This implies that the energy of the wave has to be compressed in a shorter distance. Consequently the wave becomes higher. This process of becoming higher due to the slowing down of the wave is called shoaling. Significant wave height Wind waves differ in height. The height distribution can be described with a Rayleigh distribution.