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- Title
Ocean Swell Comparisons Between Sentinel-1 and WAVEWATCH III Around Australia.
- Authors
Khan, S. S.; Echevarria, E. R.; Hemer, M. A.
- Abstract
An intercomparison between directional wave spectra derived from Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites and a WAVEWATCH III model hindcast in the wider Australian region is presented. The coastal buoy network around Australia is considerably sparse, and only a handful of buoy measurements exist in deeper oceans. National and regional scale wave models require validation and verification through intercomparisons with available observations to be confidently adopted and improved. In the absence of dense in-situ measurements, satellite-derived surface wave data provide an invaluable and independent source of observations. Satellite altimeters provide well-calibrated significant wave height data, but do not resolve wave directions, and are also not the platform of choice for resolving wave periods. SAR satellites that routinely map ocean surface waves fill this gap as they are able to measure directional wind-wave spectra of long period waves. This constitutes an important satellite data stream for better understanding the propagation of swell waves across ocean basins, and for comparisons with national and down-scaled wave models. However, both SAR wave measurements as well as wave models do not represent the truth and need qualification before regarding them as reliable data sets. The aim of this article is to perform an intercomparison of a wave model hindcast with SAR-derived wave information in the wider Australian region. The comparisons are done in the context of mean wave climate and its seasonal variability, and demonstrate good agreement for wave heights and periods. Valuable insights into possible sources of disagreement are given. Plain Language Summary Australia has one of the longest coastlines and largest marine estates in the world. Surrounded by the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans, it is heavily influenced by the impingent wave climate. Ocean waves affect marine safety and navigation, public beach safety and recreation, design of coastal infrastructure, offshore platforms and ships, and are a potential source of renewable energy. It is therefore important that ocean wave conditions are understood, and can be accurately predicted. Wave buoys are sparse in Australian waters, due to challenges in deploying them in harsh ocean conditions throughout the year, and the cost of covering such a large area. Wave models fill this gap by providing continuous wave information over vast regions, while satellite radars can also measure global ocean surface waves repeatedly. This research explores how ocean waves measured by Synthetic Aperture Radars compare with a global wave model in the context of mean wave climate and its seasonal variability around Australia, knowing that both these sources of wave data can contain errors. The comparisons demonstrate good agreement between wave heights and periods, providing encouragement on the efficacy of these instruments, as well as offering valuable insight into model deficiencies.
- Subjects
OCEAN waves; OCEANOGRAPHY; SYNTHETIC aperture radar; RADAR in oceanography; BUOYANCY
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans, 2021, Vol 126, Issue 2, p1
- ISSN
2169-9275
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2020JC016265