On the remote detection of swell by satellite radar altimeter

A technique is developed and discussed which utilizes only significant wave height and wind speed measurements available from the GEOS-3 radar altimeter in real time to locate swell dominated regions of the earth's oceans. It is shown that reasonable agreement exists between the GEOS-3 map of the North Atlantic for 24 February 1976 and a map produced from hindcasted values of sea and swell obtained from the Special Projects Branch of the National Weather Service. Only data presently available from existing satellite radar altimeters are needed to map those areas of the oceans dominated by swell. It is concluded that the example given indicates that the decision boundary developed in this study to distinguish swell-dominated seas is a realistic choice.