Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2010

Department

Marine Science

Abstract

In August 2005 the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed 49 n mi to the west of a 3-m discus buoy operated by the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System (CenGOOS). Buoy motions were measured with a strapped-down 6 degrees of freedom accelerometer, a three-axis magnetometer, and a survey-grade GPS receiver. The significant wave heights were computed from the buoy's accelerometer record and from the dual-frequency GPS measurements that were processed in two different ways. The first method was postprocessed kinematic (PPK) GPS, which requires another GPS receiver at a fixed known location, and the other was precise point positioning (PPP) GPS, which is another postprocessed positioning technique that yields absolute rather than differential positions. Unlike inertial measurement units, either GPS technique can be used to obtain both waves and water levels. The purpose of this note is to demonstrate the excellent reliability and accuracy of both methods for determining wave heights and periods from a GPS record. When the motion of the GPS antenna is properly understood as the motion of the buoy deck and not the true vertical motion of the sea surface, the GPS wave heights are as reliable as a strapped-down 1D accelerometer.

Comments

Publisher Version

© Copyright 2010 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108) does not require the AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license from the AMS. All AMS journals and monograph publications are registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com). Questions about permission to use materials for which AMS holds the copyright can also be directed to the AMS Permissions Officer at permissions@ametsoc.org. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement, available on the AMS website (http://www.ametsoc.org/CopyrightInformation).

Publication Title

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

Volume

27

Issue

10

First Page

1760

Last Page

1768

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