Comparative performance of Radar, Laser, and Waverider Buoy measurements of ocean waves – Part 2: Time domain analysis

Accurate measurements of ocean waves underpin efficient offshore operations and optimal offshore structure design, helping to ensure the offshore industry can operate both safely and economically. Popular instruments used by the offshore industry are the Rosemount WaveRadar (Radar) and the Waverider Buoy. The Optech Laser has been used at some locations for specific studies. Recent reports indicate systematic differences of order 10% among the wave measurements made by these instruments. This paper examines the relative performance of these instruments based upon various time-domain comparisons, including results from a quality control procedure (QC), capabilities of measuring the wave surface profile (skewness), and crest heights for varying wind sea and swell conditions. The QC check provides good quality data that can be further investigated with an assurance of error-free data, suggesting that the Waverider produces the best quality data with the lowest failure rate compared to the Laser and Radar. A significant number of the Waverider surface elevation records have negative skewness, particularly at higher sea states, affecting its crest height measurements, which are lower than those from the Laser and Radar. Additionally, the significant wave height (H1/3) estimates of the Radar are lower than the Laser and Waverider, but its zero-crossing wave periods (TZ), on average, are longer than the Laser and the Waverider. The significant heights (H1/3) of Laser and Waverider are in good agreement for all three datasets, but the Waverider’s zero-crossing wave period (TZ) estimates are significantly longer than the Laser.