WaMoS II, CFAV Quest Trial Q279
Abstract
This report details some of the wave data comparisons between an operational WaMoS II wave radar mounted on the CFAV QUEST and a free floating TRIAXYS directional wave buoy. The data were taken from a trial in late January/early February 2004 off the Scotian Shelf in deep water. In general the comparisons between the two measuring devices was very good. If one takes the measurement parameters of significant wave height and peak period as indicators of sea state then the two devices showed excellent agreement in most conditions. If the sea surface is truly homogenous and the buoy location is in the same area as that measured by WaMoS II, then one might expect similar results for all measured parameters and spectra. By and large these were the findings of this report. However, there is a significant difference in what each device is measuring. Typically, with the Quest travelling at 6 knots, over a 30 minute averaging period, the WaMoS II samples approximately 7 sq km of the ocean surface. The WaMoS II data thus incorporates a large spatial average. On the other hand the TRIAXYS directional wave buoy is measuring data from a single point (with some drift over the 30 minute period). Even in deep water, the sea surface is not uniform either spatially or temporally, so we would expect to see some differences in the data between the two sensors. Most noticeable were the differences in the overall shape of the 1-dimensional frequency spectra and the 2-dimensional frequency/direction spectra in some instances.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA436398
Entities
People
- Simon Skey