Hi all -
I'm not sure it's appropriate to include the phrase 'approximates to the
wave height that would be recorded visually by a human observer during
that observation period' in the significant wave height definition.
I can't think of another CF term that includes this kind of statement,
though
there may be one - and I'm not sure if it adds any clarity. I think I
understand
why it was added, but it's so far from current methods, it seems to me
that it
detracts from the definition.
We haven't published our wave data in CF yet, but we're planning to do
so at some point, so thanks for the timely discussion of these names.
Cheers - Nan
On 5/4/16 5:46 PM, Chris Barker wrote:
just a little note:
- *sea_surface_wave_significant_height*Wave height is defined as
the distance from a wave trough to the following wave crest.
NOTE: the is the VERTICAL distance -- difference in elevation between
the bottom of a trough and top of the crest. this wording sounds a lot
like a horizontal distance -- a totally different concept. Anyone that
words with waves knows this, of course, but if we're going to have
definitpons they should be clear to lay people, too.
Significant wave height is a statistic computed from wave
measurements collected during an observation period that
approximates to the wave height that would be recorded visually by
a human observer during that observation period.
this is a bit tricky -- yes, that's what significant wave height
means, but it is often (usually?) used now to mean the height of the
highest third, perhaps that goes in the long name, but I think it
should probably be in the description, as that's how it's actually
measured/computed these days.
-CHB
--
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* Nan Galbraith Information Systems Specialist *
* Upper Ocean Processes Group Mail Stop 29 *
* Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution *
* Woods Hole, MA 02543 (508) 289-2444 *
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