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Global extreme wave height variability based on satellite data
Author(s) -
Izaguirre Cristina,
Méndez Fernando J.,
Menéndez Melisa,
Losada Inigo J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2011gl047302
Subject(s) - significant wave height , climatology , environmental science , extreme value theory , satellite , extreme weather , rogue wave , climate change , atmosphere (unit) , wave height , altimeter , wind wave , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geology , oceanography , geography , statistics , physics , mathematics , nonlinear system , aerospace engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
The spatial and temporal variability of the extreme significant wave height (SWH) in the ocean is presented. The study has been performed using a highly reliable dataset from several satellite altimeter missions, which provide a good worldwide coverage for the period 1992 onwards. A non‐stationary extreme value analysis, which models seasonality and interannual variations, has been applied to characterize the extreme SWH. The interannual variability is explained through variations in the atmosphere and ocean systems, represented by different climate indices, allowing a quantitative contribution of the climate‐related patterns. Results demonstrate the strong relationship between the interannual variability of extreme SWH and different ocean and atmosphere variations. A contribution of the AO and NAO indices in the North Atlantic ocean (e.g., every positive unit of the AO explains up to 70 cm of extreme wave height south of Iceland), the NINO3 in the Pacific (every negative unit of NINO3 explains up to 60 cm of extreme wave height in the Drake Passage), the SAM in the Southern ocean and the DMI in the Indian ocean reveal these climate patterns as the most relevant in the interannual extreme wave climate.