Satellite altimeter ocean wave heights data in South China Sea

Abstract

The need for reliable wave data cannot be over-emphasised. Data in the form of wave heights and periods are crucial in the design of marine structures, especially during the monsoon periods. This paper presents a study to obtain the ocean wave heights characteristics over Malaysian seas using multi-mission satellite altimetry data. The study area covered in this paper is Malacca Straits, South China Sea, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea. The Radar Altimeter Database System (RADS) located at GNSS and Geodynamics laboratory, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia was used to extract the significant wave height data. Validation was carried out using in-situ measurement. The monthly averages of altimetry significant wave height data starting from 2000 to 2008 are used in this study. The results are mapped using m_map function in MATLAB Software thus presenting the ocean wave characteristics over Malaysian seas.