Wake verification and validation study
Abstract
Observations from airborne and satellite sensors show the frequent occurrence of surface wakes left from ships and vessels. The shallow (meters) warm surface layer and cool skin in the ocean are easily disrupted and mixed by a passing vessel, and this wake is observable through remote sensing until it is dissipated, minutes to hours later. The strength and evolution of the wake willdepend on the specifics of the vessel and the ambient surface oceanographic conditions, which vary with the winds, waves, and sea state. However, very little study has been devoted to this process, and no model has been adequately validated against the conditions and evolution of field-scale vessel wakes. Thus, we propose an observational study to measure wake evolution and ambient parameters over the period from the wake genesis to its destruction in a naturalenvironment. Measurements will be made of the meteorology and in situ ocean surface processes, in and out of the wake, from ship transects and drifters. Remotely sensed signatures of the water surface from visual and infrared thermal imagery will be collected from a small aircraft to quantify the large-scale characteristics of the wake and its observable contrast. All of the data collected will be used to characterize the mixing in wakes, test an existing parametricwake model, and to provide modification to model, as needed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912349
Entities
People
- C. Chris Chickadel
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Washington