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02/22/05 Colloquium
Dr. Susanne Lehner
University of Miami, Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science
University of Miami, Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Radar measurements of extreme ocean waves
Abstract: This paper deals with the detection, investigation and explanation of rogue wave phenomena. In addition to conventional buoy data and standard spectral analysis, spatial radar data from marine radars and satellite imagery were used. The task included the detection of rogue waves, and extreme wave groups from the data, as well as the investigation on wave statistics with respect to those extreme wave events. Two different radar concepts were used: Space borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Wave Monitoring System II (WaMoS II), a wave measuring device based on standard marine radar technology.Traditionally, rogue waves and wave groups have been studied by means of time series analysis of buoy records, which provide reliable information about the temporal variability of such phenomena at a fixed ocean position (e.g. the buoy deployment point). Radar systems instead provide spatial information of the sea surface at a given time and thus show a synoptic picture of the spatial structure of the ocean waves. Satellites observe the ocean surface continuously on a global scale thus showing extreme events during hurricanes or in the southern oceans, where most of the extreme events were found during this study. A new quality of observation comes from the fact that crossing seas can easily be observed. Examples of extreme wave events are given and reasons for their occurrence are analyzed.
It is shown that extreme wave events were observed mainly in extended storm systems, near fronts or in rapidly changing weather conditions that would favour conditions in which crossing seas are generated. The work was performed in the framework of the European project MAXWAVE.
