Abstract
This study examines new and standard techniques for comparing, contrasting, and describing differences of wave measurements from different in-situ platforms. There are few standard tools which can intuitively illuminate differences as functions of energy and frequency. Therefore these subtle differences, which may have been obscured in previous studies, may be explored with the new Wave sensor Evaluation Tool (WET) intercomparison program. Although this is a step forward, the interpretation of WET graphs can be tricky and uncertain. One chapter is dedicated to learning more about the WET intercomparison tool through applying it to artificially produced data. Three field experiments: Gulf Of Mexico 1999 (GOM99), SHOaling Wave Experiment (SHOWEX), and Shallow Water 2006 (SW06) make up the core of the thesis. Each data set makes up a complete chapter of work. Comparisons are made of wave data using a variety of techniques. Results are mostly in line with previous studies. The Air-Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS) platform is common to all of the field experiments and strengths and weakness of the platform are made evident. 2 other platforms are evaluated relative to ASIS. Case studies from the data sets are explored in greater depth. Case studies include analysis of directional spread as a function of frequency, slanting fetch conditions, sampling variability of parameters, theoretical depth transformation of spectra, surface elevation skewness, and conditions during tropical storm Ernesto. Conclusions are drawn and future work is proposed.