Significant wave height
Significant Wave Height, also known as SWH or Hs, is the average height (trough to crest) of the largest one third of waves. A well developed significant wave is approximately four times the standard deviation from sea level.
As quoted in Denny (1985), this measurement came out of work by the oceanographer, Walter Munk during World War II. Trained observers watching waves breaking on a beach will generally estimate the size of the waves to be equal to the amplitude of the highest 1/3 of the waves. It is commonly used as a measure of the height of ocean waves.
See also
References
Denny, M.W. (1988) Biology and the Mechanics of Wave-swept Shores Princeton University Press, Priceton, N.J. ISBN 0691084874
Munk, W.H. (1944) Proposed uniform procedure for observing waves and interpreting instrument records. Wave Project, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, California.
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