A buoy mounted barometric pressure instrument for wave height measurement

This paper describes the design, operation and testing of an ocean wave height sensor based on the measurement of wave-related barometric pressure variations. The work was done under the auspices of the NOAA Data Buoy Office (NDBO). Wave theory used and design of circuits to convert the continuous analog wave height signal to significant wave height, peak wave height and average wave period are described. Major sources of error inherent in the use of this principle are described along with methods employed to eliminate the errors.