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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 108, NO. C3, 8061, doi:10.1029/2001JC001164, 2003

Directional wave measurements from three wave sensors during the FETCH experiment

Heidi Pettersson

Finnish Institute of Marine Research, Helsinki, Finland


Hans C. Graber

Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA


Danièle Hauser

Centre d'Etude des Environnements Terrestres et Planétaires, Vélizy, France


Céline Quentin

Centre d'Etude des Environnements Terrestres et Planétaires, Vélizy, France


Kimmo K. Kahma

Finnish Institute of Marine Research, Helsinki, Finland


William M. Drennan

Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA


Mark A. Donelan

Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA


Abstract

During the Flux, Etat de la mer et Télédéction en Condition de fetcH variable (FETCH) experiment, directional wave measurements were made by an airborne radar RESSAC and by two moored buoys, an Air–Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS) and a Directional Waverider. In order to define the performance and compatibility of these wave sensors with different measuring principles, a comparison of the directional measurements in a variety of meteorological conditions during the experiment is presented in this paper. It was found that within the limits of their operational ranges, the sensors agreed on the one-dimensional spectrum and the basic parameters derived from it—significant wave height and peak frequency. The sensors reported the directional features of the wave field and the mean direction consistently, but in some cases the two buoys disagreed on the directional width of the spectrum. Most of these cases were associated with a single swell-dominated event.

Published 11 March 2003.

Index Terms: 4560 Oceanography: Physical: Surface waves and tides (1255); 4594 Oceanography: Physical: Instruments and techniques; 4546 Oceanography: Physical: Nearshore processes; 4223 Oceanography: General: Descriptive and regional oceanography.

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Citation: Pettersson, H., H. C. Graber, D. Hauser, C. Quentin, K. K. Kahma, W. M. Drennan, and M. A. Donelan (2003), Directional wave measurements from three wave sensors during the FETCH experiment, J. Geophys. Res., 108(C3), 8061, doi:10.1029/2001JC001164.