Measurements and Synthetic Imaging of Water Surface Gravity Waves using Optical Techniques

Abstract

Remote sensing technologies are useful tools when gathering spatial and temporal information about dynamic coastal regions. A method is proposed using an in-situ space-time imaging technique for evaluating wave periods and wavelengths of surface water waves in shallow urban coastal water environments. Video imagery of shallow water waves was acquired using high definition video cameras. Video imagery records of surface water waves using staff gauges and simultaneously deployed targets were used to determine wave periods, wavelengths and wave amplitudes. Time series analyses is applied to the video derived time series. Wave energy spectrums are extracted and used to simulated synthetic images using a gravity wave model based upon a Weibull probability distribution that simulates the sea state. Hyperspectral imagery had been collected (Bostater and Oney, 2017) by applying a pushbroom motion camera using a video based hyperspectral sensor that records water surface waves. This device can be operated in a space-time recording model. The hyperspectral imagery demonstrates how space-time imaging can be collected of bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF). The hyperspectral measurements of water waves demonstrate a new methodology and understanding to increase our remote sensing of coastal water surface wave processes.