Estimation of Surface Winds From Upward Looking Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers

Abstract

Three upward looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP) were deployed beneath meteorological buoys in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico, during winter 1988–1989. Hourly averaged wind speed data from the buoys and from ship when in the vicinity were compared with surface acoustic backscatter intensity recorded at the ADCPs. The backscatter was found to be a significant predictor of wind speeds from both buoy and ship, the latter when within 50 km of the mooring site. There was no apparent saturation of the backscatter signal at the maximum wind speeds (<15 m s−1). The results cast doubt on the ability of near-surface Doppler directional information to provide reliable estimates of wind direction.