THE WAVE SPECTRUM AND WINDSPEED AS DESCRIPTORS OF THE OCEAN SURFACE
Of the various parameters and phenomena used in describing sea surface conditions, the two most widely used are the wave spectrum and the windspeed. The wave spectrum states how the surface wave energy is distributed with wave frequency. The windspeed is the key parameter for allowing an estimate of the wave spectrum to be made where it is otherwise unobtainable. Remote sensing techniques have been developed to help describe what is occurring at the sea-air interface. In this report the wave spectrum concept is discussed briefly and a systematic approach is taken to describe various ways by which windspeeds at sea are determined. The various techniques for determining windspeeds at sea can be classified in three categories: (a) direct measurements from instrumented platforms, (b) estimates from noninstrumented platforms, and (c) estimates inferred from other data. Such a classification serves to document systematic errors associated with various methods of obtaining windspeed observations. (Modified author abstract)
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/NRLR0293
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Corporate Authors:
Naval Research Laboratory
4555 Overlook Avenue, SW
Washington, DC United States 20375-5320 -
Authors:
- Moskowitz, L I
- Publication Date: 1973-10-30
Media Info
- Pagination: 16 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air water interfaces; Anemometers; Electromagnetic spectrum; Meteorology; Ocean waves; Oceans; Rayleigh waves; Remote sensing; Technology; Velocity; Wave measurement; Wind; Wind waves
- Uncontrolled Terms: Marine meteorology
- Old TRIS Terms: Air water interactions; Ocean surface; Wind velocity
- Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Marine Transportation;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00051761
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
- ISBN: NRL-R02-93
- Report/Paper Numbers: NRL-7626 Final Rpt
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 25 1974 12:00AM