Ocean surface waves: automated analysis of directional spectra

As ocean surface directional wave spectra are becoming more routinely available from in-situ and global measurements and predictions, the need for convenient and efficient data reduction, analysis and storage capabilities is now ever more pressing. These capabilities are contained in the Wave Identification and Tracking System (WITS), developed at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Spectral peak isolation routines in WITS provide an automated statistical characterization of directional wave spectra. Information is retained on individual windsea and swell wave systems that evolve from discrete wind forcing events. Wave tracking algorithms allow for reasonably accurate swell source and evolution prediction. To demonstrate, the authors apply WITS to a wind and wave record from the North Pacific Ocean. Predicted swell sources in the Southern Hemisphere are validated by Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) global wind field nowcasts. The extended utility of WITS for wave model validations is discussed.