Sea wave direct acoustic measurement from an oceanographic buoy

This paper investigates the problem of providing reliable data about wave time-varying parameters by using three simple and low-cost acoustic altimeters installed on a buoy moored in the Mediterranean Sea. This research is performed in order to provide users with reliable and realtime information about sea conditions measured by a permanent installation in the open sea. Measures about sea conditions may be mainly used to safely operate navigation, to provide complementary information for weather forecasts, and to define the far field for the purpose of studying the behaviour of offshore structures with respect to the sea heave. The system provides reliable information about standard wave parameter (significant wave height, mean sea level, average period, spectral width, and so on). Moreover, wave motion direction can be estimate by correlating the measurements from the three devices. Results from a preliminary tests carried out by installing the described system on the sea bottom in shallow waters are presented