Comparing wavelengths simulated by the coastal wave model CWAM and TerraSAR-X satellite data. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gebhardt, Claus; Pleskachevsky, Andrey; Rosenthal, Wolfgang; Lehner, Susanne; Hoffmann, Peter; Kieser, Jens; Bruns, Thomas
• Is Part Of: Ocean modelling. Volume 103(2016:Jul.)
• Page Start: 133
• Page End: 144
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: Coastal wave model CWAM -- Sea state analysis -- TerraSAR-X -- Synthetic aperture radar (SAR); Oceanography -- Periodicals; Océanographie -- Périodiques; Oceanography; Periodicals; 551.46
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ocemod.2015.10.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1463-5003

Abstract

Highlights: The forecast quality of the high resolution coastal wave model CWAM is validated. Recent sea state data are compared between CWAM and the TerraSAR-X satellite. Potential wave modelling errors are discussed. Abstract: The accuracy of the high resolution coastal wave forecast model CWAM is validated on the basis of sea state information from satellite images of TerraSAR-X (TS-X). At the same time, the performance of the satellite retrieval of sea state parameters is demonstrated. Employing 2-dimensional spatial Fourier Transformation, image spectra are derived from TS-X and locally varying patterns of the peak wavelength are provided using state-of-the-art satellite retrieval. Subsequently, wavelength comparisons are performed between a typical set of TS-X scenes acquired in December 2013 over the German Bight and the model hindcasts. The results are mostly in reasonable agreement. Potential shortcomings of the wave model are discussed as well.