Ocean ripple statistics measured with a scanning-laser glint sensor

Describes a scanning-laser glint sensor that the authors have developed for field measurements of ocean slope statistics. In this method a narrow laser beam is scanned in a line and incidences of specularly backscattered light (glints) are counted and binned according to their slope angle. Slope probability density functions are calculated as normalized glint histograms. The authors report field measurements that show generally good agreement with previous results. The most significant difference the authors find is an enhancement of mean square slope during periods of negative air-sea temperature difference.