Measurement of short-wave modulation using fine time-series optical spectra

Abstract

Photographic imagery of the ocean surface can be either optically or digitally Fourier-transformed to obtain ocean slope spectra (Monaldo and Kasevich, 1981; Stilwell, 1969). Here we outline a straightforward method of using time-series ocean photographs to determine the modulation of short-wave energy spectra by long surface waves. Specific attention is given to the isolation of actual spectral modulation of the ocean surface from spurious modulation introduced by the imaging process.