No label defined (Q4331454)

This paper is the author's thesis for the PhD degree in Mathematical Sciences. The thesis is based on six papers, referred to in the text by the capitel letters A--F. The thesis deals mainly with problems originating in the research field of MetOcean Engineering, that is, application of statistics and probability combined with computational tools to oceanography, ocean engineering and meteorology. The main theme of the papers is the study of properties of local maxima for different probabilistic models of the sea surface -- in particular, the fundamental problem that not every local maximum (mathematically speaking) is the crest of a wave. The thesis consists of an introductory survey of the subject and related theory, followed by six included papers (A--F). The purpose of the introductory chapter is to furnish readers with different experience and professional background with the essential information. The rest of the introductory chapter is devoted to a review of the probabilistic concepts needed, a discussion of the computational strategies for evaluation, and an overview of the papers in the thesis.