Spatial measurement of short ocean waves during the MBL-ARI West Coast Experiment

TitleSpatial measurement of short ocean waves during the MBL-ARI West Coast Experiment
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication1995
AuthorsKlinke, J, Jähne, B
Conference NameIAPSO Proceedings, XXI General Assembly, Honolulu, Hawai, August 1995, PS-10 Spatial Structure of Short Ocean Waves
Abstract

During the MBL-ARI West Coast Experiment in April 1995 a new instrument for the optical measurement of ocean waves in the capillary-gravity and capillary range will be deployed. The optical system is mounted on the frame of a wave follower, and provides digital images of the water surface gradient in an area of 15cm X 20cm with submillimeter resolution at sampling rates of up to lOOHz. From single gradient images, the height of the water surface is reconstructed, and from the time sequences, intermittent phenomena such as microscale wave breaking can be studied. The instrument will be used in conjunction with the scanning laser slope gauge on the LADAS research catamaran from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The intercomparison of the data allows an accurate performance assessment of both systems.In addition to the surface gradient image sequences, long wave data, wind speeds, as well as air and water temperatures will be collected. We present first results from the MBL-ARI West Coast Experiment, including directional wave number spectra, directional wave number-frequency spectra, surface reconstructions, and 2-D slope distributions of short ocean waves.

Citation Keyklinke1995a