Draupner wave

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The Draupner wave, a single giant wave measured on New Year's Day 1995, finally confirmed the existence of freak waves, which had previously been considered near-mythical.

Close-up of the event, taken from Paul Taylor's paper.

The Draupner wave is the name for the first freak wave positively confirmed following measurements at the Draupner oil platform in the North Sea off Norway on January 1, 1995. During this event, minor damage was inflicted on the platform, confirming that the reading was valid. In an area with significant wave height of approximately 12m, a freak wave with a peak elevation of 18.5m (maximum wave height 30m) occurred.

Engineer Paul Taylor estimated the Draupner wave was a one in 200,000 wave. Prior to this measurement, freak waves were only known through anecdotal evidence from ships that had encountered them.

[edit] References

• Haver S (5 August 2003). Freak wave event at Draupner jacket January 1 1995. (PDF)

• Taylor PH. The shape of the Draupner Wave of 1st January 1995 (PDF) retrieved 20 January 2007.