The capabilities of Doppler current profilers for directional wave measurements in coastal and nearshore waters

Abstract

The adaptation of Doppler current profilers to measure directional wave spectra has provided a new instrumentation approach to coastal and nearshore oceanographic studies. Past studies have shown favorable comparisons between Doppler current profiler wave instruments with bottom mounted PUV (pressure-velocity) sensors sampling at wave frequencies and wave buoys. In this paper, we examine the capabilities and limitations of two different Doppler current profilers for directional wave measurements in shallow coastal waters of 0-25 m water depth. Data collection programs using Doppler current profilers for wave measurements have been conducted for one month long periods in the early spring of 2002, 2003 and 2004 on Roberts Bank in the Fraser River foreslope region of the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada. In 2004, an RD Instrument ADCP along with the newly-released 1000 kHz Nortek AWAC current profiler and wave instrument were co-located in 7 m water depth at a different site on the edge of Roberts Bank. Inter-comparisons between these bottom mounted instruments are used to examine the capabilities of the directional wave spectral parameters, in terms of: resolvable frequencies for directional and nondirectional wave spectra; wave directional resolution and reliability, and limitations arising from the use of linear wave theory. For a preliminary assessment of the capability of Doppler wave spectra in deeper waters of 20-25 m depths, in particular for very long wave periods, some experiences derived from a long-term measurement program being conducted off the west coast of Africa are presented