Coastal waves, currents, stratification, and bathymetry from aerial drones
Abstract
We propose a field experiment at the mouth of Willapa Bay in WA state that utilizes submersible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (subUAS). The site includes a natural inlet (i.e., no jetties or engineered structures), with notoriously variable shoals. The shoals cause breaking wave patterns that are a severe hazard to navigation and deny access to much of the domain. Strong tidal currents enhance the wave breaking during each ebb. Stratification is caused by local freshwater input from the Nacelle and Willapa rivers, plus additional input from the nearby Columbia River plume. This project will develop and demonstrate a novel approach, using subUAS, for comprehensive observations of this difficult environment. The subUAS data will be complemented by SWIFT drifters, including echosounder measurements of stratification and bubbles, as well as data-assimilative modeling for bathymetry estimation in the denied areas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 09, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412524
Entities
People
- Jim Thomson
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Washington