Comparison wave directional measuring systems

The following three methods of deriving directional wave spectra have been compared: a method using the measurements obtained from three orthogonal subsurface velocity components and two methods, the slope array method and the space array method, that use measurements obtained from the surface elevations at three positions. The overall conclusion is that the method using the measurements of the three subsurface velocity components is suitable for calculations of the parameters of wave direction for the high-energy frequency band. The slope and space array methods can be used to calculate the main wave direction if the wave period is longer than 7 s but are too sensitive to inaccuracies of the gauges to calculate the spread in the wave direction.