• Login
    About WHOAS
    View Item 
    •   WHOAS Home
    • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    • Academic Programs
    • WHOI Theses
    • View Item
    •   WHOAS Home
    • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    • Academic Programs
    • WHOI Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of WHOASCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesKeywordsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesKeywords

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Directional wavenumber characteristics of short sea waves

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Suoja_thesis-.pdf (3.906Mb)
    Date
    2000-02
    Author
    Suoja, Nicole M.  Concept link
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citable URI
    https://hdl.handle.net/1912/4198
    Location
    Buzzards Bay, MA
    DOI
    10.1575/1912/4198
    Keyword
     Ocean waves; Surface waves; Wave-motion 
    Abstract
    Interest in short waves on the ocean surface has been growing over the last three decades because they play an important role in surface electromagnetic (e.m.) scattering. Currently radars and scatterometers which use e.m. scattering to remotely examine the ocean can produce estimates of the surface wind field, surface currents, and other scientifically important ocean processes. These estimates are based on models which depend on a thorough understanding of electromagnetic scattering mechanisms, and of the three-dimensional surface wave field. Electromagnetic scattering theory is well developed, but the short wavelength portion of the surface wave field has only recently been experimentally explored. A single, consistent, and accurate model of the energy distribution on the ocean surface, also known as the wave height spectrum, has yet to be developed. A new instrument was developed to measure the height of waves with 2-30 cm wavelengths at an array of locations which can be post-processed to generate an estimate of the two-dimensional wave height spectrum. This instrument (a circular wire wave gage buoy) was deployed in an experiment which gathered not only in situ measurements of the two-dimensional wave height spectrum, but also coincident scatterometer measurements, allowing the comparison of current e.m. scattering and surface wave height spectrum models with at sea data. The experiment was conducted at the Buzzards Bay Tower located at the mouth of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. A rotating X-band scatterometer, a sonic anemometer, and a capacitive wire wave gage were mounted on the tower. The wave gage buoy was deployed nearby. The resulting data supports a narrowing trend in the two-dimensional spectral width as a function of wavenumber. Two current spectral models support this to some extent, while other models do not. The data also shows a similar azimuthal width for the scatterometer return and the width of the short wavelength portion of the wave height spectrum after it has been averaged and extrapolated out to the appropriate Bragg wavelength. This appears to support current e.m. composite surface (two-scale) theories which suggest that the scattered return from the ocean at intermediate incidence angles is dominated by Bragg scattering which depends principally on the magnitude and shape of the two-dimensional wave height spectrum. However, the mean wind direction (which corresponds well with the peak of the scatterometer energy distribution) and the peak of 20 minute averages of the azimuthal energy distribution were out of alignment in two out of three data sets, once was by nearly 90°. There are a number of tenable explanations for this including instrument physical limitations and the possibility of significant surface currents, but none that would explain such a significant variation. Given that there are so few measurements of short wave directional spectra, however l these results should be considered preliminary in the field and more extensive measurements are required to fully understand the angular distribution of short wave energy and the parameters upon which it depends.
    Description
    Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution February 2000
    Collections
    • WHOI Theses
    • Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering (AOP&E)
    Suggested Citation
    Thesis: Suoja, Nicole M., "Directional wavenumber characteristics of short sea waves", 2000-02, DOI:10.1575/1912/4198, https://hdl.handle.net/1912/4198
     

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      Variability of currents in Great South Channel and over Georges Bank : observation and modeling 

      Chen, Changsheng (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1992-06)
      This thesis consists of two parts: (I) variability of currents and water properties in late spring in the northern Great South Channel and (II) numerical study of stratified tidal rectification over Georges Bank. In part ...
    • Thumbnail

      Biological-physical interactions on Georges Bank : plankton transport and population dynamics of the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica 

      Lewis, Craig V. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1997-06)
      Advective losses of bank water during winter because of strong wind forcing were hypothesized to be a significant factor limiting recruitment of Georges Bank cormnunities. This hypothesis was examined using biological-physical ...
    • Thumbnail

      Carbon and mineral transformations in seafloor serpentinization systems 

      Grozeva, Niya G. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2018-02)
      This thesis examines abiotic processes controlling the transformation and distribution of carbon compounds in seafloor hydrothermal systems hosted in ultramafic rock. These processes have a direct impact on carbon budgets ...
    All Items in WHOAS are protected by original copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. WHOAS also supports the use of the Creative Commons licenses for original content.
    A service of the MBLWHOI Library | About WHOAS
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Privacy Policy
    Core Trust Logo