Observations of Sea Surface Waves in Wide Wavelength Range with Optical System

This paper is concerned with the real-time observation system of optical devices for recording of sea waves characteristics in wide range of wavelength from centimeters to hundreds meter. The energy spectra of short waves are obtained in real time by spectral analysis of sea surface image [1] with spectral analyzer operating under no coherent light. The spectral-kinematics characteristics of long energy waves are determined from optical RTI images (range-time-intensity images) constructed from optical profiles of sea surface recorded from carrier to horizon. The possibility of implementing of such system for infrared light is discussed. The real-time observation system was used from shore, ship and helicopter for monitoring of sea surface roughness in real time. The results of sea waves transformations caused by subsurface processed (such as internal waves), bottom topography, wind front, oil slicks and so on are presented. Spectral analysis of sea wave image The new approach to the evaluation of the sea wave spectra is developed using twoscale model of sea roughness [2]. Elevations of sea surface are presented as sum of elevations of long and short waves: and the vector of surface slope – as sum of vectors for long and short waves/ s l z z y x z ) , ( l q s q We shell limits by the case when intensity of sea surface I depends on the slopes of short waves in one direction (for grazing angles it is direction of observation) and represents 1 q I as Tailor expansion in local point on the long wave. The informative expression for spectra of sea wave’s image will be