Maxima for Gaussian seas

The probability distribution of the height of global maximum for a Gaussian random field evolving in time is studied. In particular, the effect of spreading is studied and the role of the wave kinematics is discussed. It is observed that taking into account time dynamics of spatial characteristics results in distributions different from those obtained for the static case. The results are illustrated by computing the derived distribution for different Gaussian seas for three distinct sampling schemes. The resulting distributions are also used to compute return periods for rogue waves. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.