Studying the change of average waves of the Caspian Sea using the altimetry data

Abstract

For the coastal countries, the Caspian Sea is an essential economic object, including the implementation of transport routes, fishing, the availability of potential mineral resources of the seabed and deeper layers. Also, the ecological state of this region is of great importance. Therefore, the study of the wave climate of the sea is vital for all riparian countries. Satellite altimetry has become an increasingly important technology for monitoring of continental surface waters. In this article, we explore a possibility to obtain reliable information on the wave climate in the Caspian Sea using satellite altimetry. We used measurements of significant wave heights from a Jason-1 mission over ten-year period. The data were cleaned and checked for the possible errors. The analysis of average significant wave heights in the Caspian Sea showed overall a consistent picture. The highest wave heights are observed in the Middle part of the basin. The waves have lesser intensity in the Southern basin and the Northern part. The analysis of seasonal variability showed that the most energetic waves appear in the winter season.