Investigation of sea roughness with complex of optical devices

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the complex of optical devices for recording of sea waves characteristics in wide range of wavelength from centimeters to hundreds meter. The energy spectra of short waves are obtained in real time by spectral analysis of sea surface image with spectral analyzer operating under no coherent light. The spectral-kinematics characteristics of long energy waves are determined from optical RTI images (range-time-intensity images) constructed from optical profiles of sea surface. A model of imaging of the sea surface in diffuse sky light is developed using twoscale approach of sea roughness that permits to receive new expression for spectra of sea surface wave image. The principles of retrieval of spectralkinematics characteristics of surface waves from RTI images are developed and method for formation of RTI images permitted to remove influence of ships tossing is proposed. The preliminary model of sea wave elevation spectra for wavelength from centimeters to meter derived from spectra of sea surface images and its changing in wind front is presented. The appearance of group structure of long surface waves is registered on optical RTI images of sea surface. The complex of optical devices may be used from shore or ship for monitoring of sea surface roughness in real time.