 Within this third generation of models , the spectral wave transport equation is used to describe the change in wave spectrum over changing topography . It simulates wave generation , wave movement ( propagation within a fluid ) , wave shoaling , refraction , energy transfer between waves , and wave dissipation . Since surface winds are the primary forcing mechanism in the spectral wave transport equation , ocean wave models use information produced by numerical weather prediction models as inputs to determine how much energy is transferred from the atmosphere into the layer at the surface of the ocean . Along with dissipation of energy through whitecaps and resonance between waves , surface winds from numerical weather models allow for more accurate predictions of the state of the sea surface . 
