Forecasting and Observing the Open-to-Coastal Ocean for Copernicus Users (FOCCUS)

Part of EU Open Research Repository
Published December 19, 2025 | Version v.1.0.0
Dataset Open

Wave parameters (in situ)

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System

Contributors

  • 1. EDMO icon Maritime Hydrographic Directorate
  • 2. EDMO icon COLAB Atlantic
  • 3. SOCIB
  • 4. CSIC
  • 5. ROR icon Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System

Description

High-frequency wave parameters dataset

The Wave parameters product is providing high-frequency wave measurements collected by in-situ instrumentation. The time series is provided as continuous hourly measurements. The output files are provided as point measurements at fixed coastal locations, characterizing local wave climate conditions. The data product also delivers comprehensive quality control flags following Copernicus Marine In Situ TAC standards. 

Detailed information on the included datasets and vocabularies can be found in the Product User Manual.  

Technical details

The datasets are provided separately for each location in NetCDF format.

Each file contains a time series of wave parameters, their corresponding quality control flags and additional metadata.

Parameters

This product includes time series of wave height, period, and direction derived from direct measurements of sea surface elevation, pressure, and current velocity profiles. The wave parameters included in the dataset are listed below.

 

Variable

Long Name

Units

VHM0

Significant wave height

m

VZMX

Maximum wave height

m

VTGA

Mean wave period

s

VMDR

Mean wave direction

degree

VAVH

Average wave height (1/3)

m

VH110

Average wave height (1/10)

m

VHZA

Mean zero-crossing wave height

m

VTMX

Maximum wave period

s

VTPK

Peak wave period

s

VAVT

Average crest period

s

VT110

Average wave period (1/10)

s

VPSP

Peak spectral period

s

ECOD

Error code

dimensionless

Data sources

Platforms: Fixed benthic node 

Instruments: AWAC 600KHz (Acoustic Wave and Current Profiler) 

Data quality

While underlying sensors provide high precision (e.g., velocity ±1%, pressure ±0.25%, heading ±2∘), the final accuracy of wave parameters (Hs, Tp, direction) is not a fixed value. It is strictly dependent on deployment depth, configuration, and the limitation that resolvable wavelengths must be ≥2× the horizontal cell separation.

A comprehensive quality control (QC) procedure has been applied to the data, following international Quality Assurance of Real-Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) standards and best practices, consistent with Copernicus Marine In Situ TAC standards. Flags are assigned based on automated QC tests, including global range, regional range, spike detection, gradient analysis, and stationarity tests. 

 

Something about known issues: Data gaps may occur due to instrument failures, maintenance periods, or extreme weather conditions. Accuracy can be affected by biofouling on sensors, particularly for pressure-based measurements. Wave direction measurements may have reduced accuracy in low wave energy conditions.

Spatial and Temporal coverage

 

Site

Longitude

Latitude

Period

Cala Millor

3.39974

39.59236

2011-05-20 to 2025-11-13

Muro

3.150683

39.813317

2022-09-29 to 2025-10-22

Son Bou

4.06372

39.89645

2022-20-05 to 2025-10-14

Contact information

For further technical inquiries or additional information about the dataset, please contact  mobims@socib.es

 

Files

Files (17.4 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:185d1f52fc419ddf8f2a7995af6f112e
7.8 MB Download
md5:0c79caee131a4cf0a868f950ea17444f
1.8 MB Download
md5:5e31b1dc29a8f2a44ed8e02f91c52c66
7.9 MB Download

Additional details

Funding

European Commission
FOCCUS - Forecasting and observing the open-to-coastal ocean for Copernicus users 101133911

Dates

Collected
2011-05-20/2025-11-13

References