Remote sensing of water surface small gravity waves characteristics using fixed platform and drone imagery

Abstract

Water surface gravity wave imagery and analyses are presented. The approach is to utilize a protocol to characterize small wind driven surface gravity waves in shallow waters near shorelines or in shallow open coastal waters. Video imagery collected from the littoral zone and a drone are used to better understand and predict wave patch characteristics and the energy (watts m-2) contained in a patch of small wind driven gravity waves. The analysis of the airborne and ground-based video imagery makes use of space time image analysis techniques. Video imagery collected from ~20 to 120 frames per second, hyperspectral imagery, and wave gauges are presented. The techniques, along with an in-situ line target allow the calibration of wave features such as wave amplitudes and wavelengths. The scientific methods have applications related to management of coastal lagoons, estuaries, near coastal waters. Applications in coastal engineering such as wind farms, protection of structures (canals, seawalls, docks) and vegetated shorelines can benefit from improved understanding of wind driven gravity waves. Data from the Indian River Lagoon and Banana River in Florida are used to demonstrate the protocol and techniques.