Global coastal attenuation of wind-waves observed with radar altimetry

Abstract Coastal studies of wave climate and evaluations energy resources are mainly regional based on the use computationally very expensive models or a network in-situ data. Considering significant height, satellite radar altimetry provides an established global relatively long-term source, whose coastal data nevertheless typically flagged as unreliable within 30 km coast. This study exploits reprocessing signals with dedicated fitting algorithm to retrieve several years height records in zone. We show variations annual cycle amplitudes mean state last from coastline compared offshore, areas that were up now not observable standard altimetry. Consequently, decrease average flux is observed. Globally, we found at 3 off coast 22% smaller than amplitude reduced by 14% loses 38% its offshore value.