10.1016/0967-0653(96)90966-7

Global meteorology - major surface wind patterns what drives the wind? the global meridional circulation zonal circulations storms tropical cyclones subtropical cyclones hybrid systems. Ocean wind waves -basic ocean wave properties the random sea surface dependence on wind speed and fetch wave propagation and swell. The GEOSAT satellite mission - the GEOSAT coverage wave measurement using the GEOSAT radar altimeter wave height measurement validation wind measurement using the GEOSAT radar altimeter wind speed measurement validation and choice of algorithm Brown algorithm Chelton and McCabe algorithm Goldhirsh and Dobson algorithm Chelton and Wentz algorithm Witter and Chelton algorithm comparison of exiting algorithms Young's algorithm for high wind speed wind speed validation. Data preparation - introduction data quality control partitioning of data mean monthly statistics probability of exceedence. Data validation - mean monthly significant wave heights probability of exceedence - significant wave height mean monthly wind speed probability of exceedence - wind speed conclusions as to the validity of results. Global wind and wave statistics - background global monthly means and exceedence probabilities detail of each ocean basin the Indian Ocean the North Pacific Ocean the South Pacific Ocean the North Atlantic Ocean the South Atlantic Ocean latitude, longitude and great-circle sections selected output at points. References glossary - common terms unit conversion length time speed conversion C grades to F grades conversion K grades to C grades the Beaufort Scale.