Wind-wave generation of ocean current: on model identification

It is shown how stochastic models based on inertial fluctuations, forced by Stokes drift and wind stress, give apparently accurate predictions of sea surface current. A parameter estimation procedure that gives subjectively reasonable results may therefore also be found. However, objective model identification turns out to be difficult and an estimation model capable of following large-scale model errors is necessary for reasonably accurate parameter estimates. Such a model is proposed and simulation results are presented and discussed. In this mode the inertial oscillation damping, is easily overestimated and the Stokes drift effect is seen to be smaller than the wind stress effect. The latter appears to be uncertain