Vågtyp

Vågtyp is a term used in oceanography and meteorology to classify surface water waves based on their origin, generation mechanism, and dominant restoring force. The most common divisions are wind waves (local waves generated by the wind) and swell (waves that have propagated away from their generating wind field, typically with longer periods and wavelengths). A third category is capillary waves, short-wavelength ripples in which surface tension dominates, usually at wavelengths below roughly a few centimeters. For longer waves, gravity waves prevail, where gravity is the main restoring force.

Within the wind-and-swell framework, a sea state can be described as a mixed sea if both locally generated wind waves and distant swell are present. Tsunami or seiche are other, distinct wave types with much longer periods and different generation mechanisms (seafloor displacement for tsunamis; fluid column resonance for seiches). In coastal engineering and forecasting, distinguishing wave types helps interpret spectral data, predict energy flux to shores, and assess breaking styles (spilling, plunging, surging) and potential loads on structures.

Measurement and analysis rely on observations from buoys, satellites, and coastal radar, combined with spectral models to separate wave components and characterize dominant directions and periods. The concept of vågtyp thus provides a practical framework for describing the variety of surface waves encountered at sea and along coastlines.