Shipborne Wave-Recorder Measurements of Surface Waves during Acoustic Experiments in the Western Ligurian Sea (ACOC-1).

Abstract

Waves were measured south of Monaco in February 1970. The data for the main experiment days of 12 and 17 February were analysed by a simple analysis technique to yield significant wave heights and periods; hourly wave spectra were also calculated for the 17 February data. On 12 February, when the winds were 5 knots or less throughout the day, the standard deviation of the surface displacements was 0.14 m during the morning and 0.11 m in the afternoon; average zero-upcrossing periods were 6.8 seconds changing to 7.6 seconds during the day. On 17 February, when conditions were slightly rougher, the winds were 10 knots in the morning growing to 35 knots by late afternoon, but strong fetch limitations held the standard deviation of surface displacements to 0.25 m; the average zero-upcrossing period was about 7.8 seconds. In terms of properly defined 'sea state' (World Meteorological Organization Code 3700) the conditions were SS 2 on 12 February and SS 3 on 17 February. Incorrect but common sea state estimates based on wind force instead of wave height would have been SS 0 and AA 3-4.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1971
Accession Number
AD0890286

Entities

People

  • Melbourne G. Briscoe

Organizations

  • SACLANT ASW Research Centre

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Data Science
  • Displacement
  • Information Science
  • Ligurian Sea
  • Measurement
  • Recording Systems
  • Spectra
  • Standards
  • Surface Waves
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Academic Conference Management
  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Oceanography.