The Development of a Wave Height Measurement System to Provide Automatic Recording of Sea-State Off-Shore at the Cardigan Bay Range

摘要

A requirement has arisen at R.A.E. Aberporth to measure sea-state at considerable distances off-shore. To meet this requirement, it is necessary to define the surface profile of the sea at a given point to an accuracy of plus or minus 6 inches under maximum peak/peak wave conditions of 8 feet. A system has been developed based on a stable platform in the form of a spar-buoy insensitive to wave-motion; upon this is mounted a resistive type of electronic sensing unit to generate an electrical analogue of wave height, which is transmitted to a shore base by means of a telemetry link. This report describes the design features of stabilized spar buoys and the development of the electronic sensing unit etc.; it gives experimental data from tests and outlines the development of an engineered system for operational use. (Author)