Abstract:

Passive optical observations of the near-surface current profile were made in the Mouth of the Columbia River from June 2-6, 2013. A calibration and validation study was performed in the University of Miami's SUSTAIN facility.

Suggested Citation:

Nathan J.M. Laxague. 2017. Passive Optical Near-Surface Current Observations at the Mouth of the Columbia River, June 2-6, 2013. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7KP805V

Publications:

Laxague, N. J. M., Haus, B. K., Ortiz-Suslow, D. G., Smith, C. J., Novelli, G., Dai, H., … Graber, H. C. (2017). Passive optical sensing of the near-surface, wind-driven current profile. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. doi:10.1175/jtech-d-16-0090.1

Purpose:

The dataset was created with the intent of developing a method for near-field remote current determination. Laboratory measurements provided validation and field measurements offered a glimpse at the method's application.

Data Parameters and Units:

Laboratory: wind speed [m/s], current speed [m/s], and current depth [m] Field: wind speed [m/s], current speed [m/s], current direction [degrees CW from N], and current depth [m]

Methods:

Extraction of near-surface current via analysis of gravity-capillary wavenumber-frequency spectra. MCR1 time start: 2013-06-02-14-34-00 (yyyy-mm-dd-HH-MM-SS) MCR1 time stop: 2013-06-02-14-39-00 MCR2 time start: 2013-06-07-13-48-56 MCR2 time stop: 2013-06-07-13-49-56 MCR1 ship coordinates: 46.26 N, 124.01 W MCR2 ship coordinates: 46.263 N, 124.03 W Moored ADCP coordinates (MCR1 & MCR2): 46.268 N, 124.065 W dye_current.dat contains current speed in m/s dye_depth.dat contains the corresponding depth in m. u* is wind friction velocity in m/s, ak is wave steepness in radians. the type of data in the columns are current speed in m/s. pol_current.dat and pol_current_waves.dat contains current speed in m/s. pol_wavenumbers.dat and pol_wavenumbers_waves.dat contains wavenumber in rad/m. data reported in the files with the dye and pol prefixes come from camera tracking of dye and spectral analysis of polarimetric wave slope fields, respectively. data reported in the files with and without the _wave suffix were obtained in the presence and absence of paddle-generated waves, respectively.

Instruments:

Laboratory Wind- R.M. Young sonic anemometer Current speeds- Polarimetric wave slope sensing, PIV, camera-tracked dye, and camera-tracked drifters Field Wind- Gill R2 sonic anemometer Current speeds- Polarimetric wave slope sensing, shipboard 300 kHz ADCP, moored 1200 kHz ADCP, and Delft3D model output

Individual Files: