Waves Data in Costa Rica: Validating the WAVERYS Reanalysis using Waves Data

Abstract

Field wave data are a relevant source of information with high impact for marine sciences and engineering. The present work compiled, in a single database, the different wave data records found in Costa Rica. Such wave data were compared with the WAVERYS reanalysis from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service with the purpose of examining this information and its possible use in future research at both the country and regional levels. The historical wave data compilation considered records documented in different projects carried out on behalf of several governmental institutions. Statistical methods were used to analyze and compare, spatially and temporally, the information contained both in the field wave data and in the WAVERYS reanalysis. Results showed that, in the Caribbean, there are wave records between 2015 and 2017. In the Pacific, there are measurements made during the construction of Puerto Caldera between 1978 and 1985. There are also wave data obtained in different sites between 2009 to 2011 and by a recently established gauge network from 2014 onwards. It was verified that the reanalysis database has a high potential for applications in marine sciences and coastal engineering in this region of the Earth.