In situ measurements of capillary‐gravity wave spectra using a scanning laser slope gauge and microwave radars

Abstract

Capillary‐gravity wave spectra are measured using a scanning laser slope gauge (SLSG), and simultaneously by X and K band Doppler radars off the Chemotaxis Dock at the Quissett campus of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Wave spectral densities estimated from the radar measurements using the Bragg theory agree with those measured using the SLSG at the Bragg wavenumber to within a few decibels, suggesting that Bragg scattering theory is valid for the conditions of this experiment. The observed degree of saturation of capillary‐gravity waves is in reasonable agreement with measurements by Jähne and Riemer (1990) obtained from measurements in a large wind‐wave flume at intermediate wind speeds, but our data indicate a higher degree of saturation at very low wind speeds. The rate at which the slope‐frequency spectrum falls off, however, is much lower in the field than in laboratories, even at moderate winds, suggesting long waves are responsible for a large Doppler shift of capillary‐gravity waves. Close examination of combined wavenumber‐frequency slope spectra also reveals significant smearing of the spectra in the frequency domain due to long waves. These observations confirm that spatial measurements (wavenumber spectra measurements) are essential for characterizing short capillary‐gravity waves, since this strong Doppler shift will dramatically change apparent frequency spectra.