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08:54
Measurements of Waves in a Wind-wave Tank Under Steady and Time-varying Wind Forcing
Published on: February 13, 2018
Mapping of the ocean surface wind by ocean acoustic interferometers
Alexander G Voronovich1, Cécile Penland
1National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Earth System Research Laboratory/Physical Sciences Division, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|May 17, 2011
Summary
This study proposes using ocean acoustic interferometry with vertical line arrays to map marine surface winds. This method offers a novel approach for measuring winds over large ocean areas.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Acoustics
- Atmospheric Science
Background:
- Accurate marine surface wind measurements are vital for understanding ocean dynamics.
- Satellite methods face limitations at high wind speeds.
- Acoustic techniques offer potential for wind speed retrieval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a complementary method for marine surface wind measurement.
- To explore the use of low-frequency ambient noise directivity for wind mapping.
- To assess the feasibility of acoustic interferometry for ocean wind monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Employing long vertical line arrays (VLAs) to measure acoustic pressure.
- Utilizing two separated VLAs to form an ocean interferometer.
- Sampling the area of interest from multiple perspectives with at least two interferometers.
Main Results:
- Proposed method allows mapping marine surface winds over ~1000 km scales.
- Achievable resolution of approximately 10 km for wind field variations.
- Estimated averaging time of ~3 hours to overcome noise variability.
Conclusions:
- Acoustic interferometry with VLAs presents a promising complementary approach to satellite wind measurements.
- The technique has the potential for large-scale, high-resolution marine wind mapping.
- Further numerical simulations for North Atlantic conditions support the proposed methodology.
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