WAVES MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS TEST AND EVALUATION PROTOCOLS IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL OPERATIONAL WAVE OBSERVATION PLAN

Abstract

In 2009, the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) supported the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), NOAA National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in developing community consensus on a plan for a comprehensive, high quality surface-wave monitoring network for the United States, entitledA National Operational Wave Observation Plan. The national system of surface wave observations proposed by this plan will increase the wave observation spatial coverage along and across the US coasts and will serve as a stimulus for wave modeling activities in verification /validation improvements, data fusion and assimilation. This plan (IOOS, 2009) divides the US coastline into seven primary geographic regions and four along-coast observational sub-nets (Offshore, Outer-Shelf, InnerShelf, and Coastal Subnets). The plan focuses on real-time, in situ, directional wave sensors required to create a robust backbone across these four regions. It was further recognized by this Plan that as waves move from offshore to the beach the observational technology changes, as does the accuracy requirements of the sensors employed and the range of user applications.