Statistical Modeling of the Ocean Environment

Vanem, Erik and Dong, Sheng and de Hauteclocque, Guillaume and Johannessen, Thomas Berge and Zhu, Tingyao and Prpic-Orsic, Jasna and van Essen, Sanne and Ewans, Kevin and Mackay, Ed and Jonathan, Philip (2026) Statistical Modeling of the Ocean Environment. Annual Review of Statistics and Its Application, 13 (1). pp. 1-28. ISSN 2326-8298

Abstract

Statistical modeling of the ocean environment is important for many practical applications in science and engineering. Probabilistic descriptions of the ocean environment are important input for structural design and risk assessment of marine structures, including ships, offshore and coastal structures, and aquaculture installations. They are also essential for the safe operation of ships and other structures at sea. Additionally, they are critical for planning and decision-making in the exploitation of marine renewable energy sources such as waves, tides, and offshore wind. This article presents a review of recent developments with regard to statistical modeling of the ocean environment, with a particular focus on ocean waves. Such developments are driven by an increasing volume of available data, increasing computational capabilities, and demand from the industry for more accurate and uncertainty-aware descriptions of relevant oceanic variables. Hence, statistical modeling of the ocean environment remains an active area of research, with significant developments in various directions. These are reviewed in this article.