TY - GEN
T1 - Development and application of a global satellite database of wind and wave conditions
AU - Young, I. R.
AU - Zieger, S.
AU - Babanin, A. V.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 by ASME.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Oceanographic satellites have now been in operation for almost 30 years, collecting global data on oceanic winds and waves. During this period, a variety of satellites have been operational. These include altimeters (wind speed and wave height), SSMI radiometers (wind speed), scatterometers (wind speed and direction) and Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR (full directional wave spectrum). Data from these instruments potentially represents an invaluable resource for offshore engineering design and facilities operation. This paper describes the development of a unique database containing data from all these instruments over their full periods of operation. The paper will describe the calibration and cross-validation of all instruments. This analysis shows the limitations of individual instruments and the relative accuracies. Instruments are calibrated against a very comprehensive buoy data set from the United States, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. The extensive buoy dataset means that it is possible to have individual calibration buoys and independent validation sites. Further validation is provided by examining cross-over points between different satellite instruments where they image the same region of ocean at the same time. The paper will also demonstrate the application of this database. These applications include the evaluation of seasonal wind and wave climate on a global scale, the determination of extreme value statistics (100 year return values) for wind speed and wave height, long term trends in wind speed and wave height and potential trends in extreme values.
AB - Oceanographic satellites have now been in operation for almost 30 years, collecting global data on oceanic winds and waves. During this period, a variety of satellites have been operational. These include altimeters (wind speed and wave height), SSMI radiometers (wind speed), scatterometers (wind speed and direction) and Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR (full directional wave spectrum). Data from these instruments potentially represents an invaluable resource for offshore engineering design and facilities operation. This paper describes the development of a unique database containing data from all these instruments over their full periods of operation. The paper will describe the calibration and cross-validation of all instruments. This analysis shows the limitations of individual instruments and the relative accuracies. Instruments are calibrated against a very comprehensive buoy data set from the United States, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. The extensive buoy dataset means that it is possible to have individual calibration buoys and independent validation sites. Further validation is provided by examining cross-over points between different satellite instruments where they image the same region of ocean at the same time. The paper will also demonstrate the application of this database. These applications include the evaluation of seasonal wind and wave climate on a global scale, the determination of extreme value statistics (100 year return values) for wind speed and wave height, long term trends in wind speed and wave height and potential trends in extreme values.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84947715099
U2 - 10.1115/OMAE201541039
DO - 10.1115/OMAE201541039
M3 - Conference Paper
T3 - Proceedings of the International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering - OMAE
BT - Ocean Engineering
PB - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
T2 - ASME 2015 34th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, OMAE 2015
Y2 - 31 May 2015 through 5 June 2015
ER -