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from devices placed along the coast at intervals small enough to resolve 

 the behavior of the surge as a storm moves out of the open ocean and makes 

 landfall. The ability to model and predict storm surge cannot improve 

 significantly without such data. Also, several phenomena associated with 

 storms such as the superelevation of water level before arrival of the 

 storm (often referred to as a forerunner) are still a mystery. 



Research on wind-wave generation in deep and shallow water has 

 progressed well. However, as noted there is a lack of detailed, high 

 quality wind and wave data with which to verify these models. The basic 

 process of damping of wind-waves as they cross the continental shelf due to 

 bottom friction and breaking induced by wave -wave interaction are other 

 areas in which research is needed. Theoretical work has progressed, but 

 accurate field measurements are lacking. It is also necessary to stress 

 the spectral approach to damping, as most methods available to date are 

 limited to the assumption of monochromatic waves. Because waves refract in 

 response to variations in water depth, basic research on the directionality 

 of wave spectra, in both deep and shallow water, is also necessary before a 

 better understanding of the effects of sea level rise on ocean waves can be 

 assessed accurately. 



Finally, if sea level is rising in response to changes in climate, 

 these changes may (as spectulated by some) alter the frequency of 

 occurrence, severity and behavior of hurricanes and storms. Research is 

 needed not only to investigate these possibilities and improve predictive 

 techniques, but the statistics and behavior from the historical record 

 should continue to be examined so a reliable baseline can be established 

 against which the future can be compared. 



