Experimental determination of significant waveheight by OSMAR071: Comparison with results from buoy

OSMAR071 is the latest product of the OSMAR (ocean state monitor and analysis radar) series of high frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR), which was developed by the Radiowave Propagation Laboratory of Wuhan University. It adopts a modified Barrick waveheight inversion model. The modifications are introduced to improve the model’s performances under the effect of noises and interferences and in the case of broad beam radar detection. The two unknown coefficients in the modified model are figured out by fitting the HFSWR significant waveheight results to those output from a wave buoy located in the radiating coverage of the radar site. The model is applied to inverse the waveheights from radar data for the duration from Dec. 1st, 2008 to Feb. 25th, 2009, and then the radar waveheights are compared with the buoy measurements. Results show that the rms difference between radar-derived significant waveheights and those from the buoy is 0.38 m and the correlation coefficient between the two series is 0.66. This study describes OSMAR071 observation of significant waveheight with relatively satisfactory accuracy during about three months.