The power spectrum analysis of ocean-wave records

Techniques of power spectrum analysis developed by Tukey and Hamming for the analysis of noise in electronic circuits are applied to ocean-wave records The power spectrum of a sea-surface record is computed directly from the power spectrum of a pressure record. Statistical properties of the wave records are deduced and verified within the limitations of a linearized theory. The implications of the results with respect to the problem of wave forecasting and wave refraction are discussed. The relationship between the non-normalized autocorrelation function and the power spectrum is given, and the results of Deacon and Seiwell are interpreted in connection with the results of the analysis.