Sea Surface Wave Spectral Properties in Coastal Waters
Nathan Laxague1, David G Ortiz-Suslow2, Brian K Haus3, Neil J Williams2, Conor Smith4, Roland Romeiser4 and Hans Christian Graber2, (1)Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Division of Ocean and Climate Physics, Palisades, NY, United States, (2)University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, FL, United States, (3)University of Miami, RSMAS, Miami, FL, United States, (4)University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
Abstract:
In an era of advances in satellite remote sensing and hydrodynamic modeling, the need has grown for direct observations of short ocean wave characteristics- especially along coastal margins. Here we present an examination of coastal/nearshore short wave spectral shape and directional properties based on shipboard polarimetric slope sensing. This technique can resolve short ocean wavenumbers from 30 rad/m to 1600 rad/m- well into the capillary wave regime. Physical connections are made between capillary and gravity-capillary wave spectral shape, wind stress, swell, and current- for example, short wave modulation, Doppler-shifting, and wind stress steering. In several cases, in-situ acquisition coincided temporally and spatially with X-band SAR observation. These results provide insights into the behavior of short waves in coastal environments under variable wind, wave, and current conditions, lending themselves naturally towards the use of radar remote sensing to sample dynamic coastal waters.
