PNNL

Abstract

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a high-resolution hindcast from 1979 to 2020 following the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for characterization of wave energy resources in the US and affiliated Pacific islands. Located in the western Pacific, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) experience a unique wave climate influenced by wind fields originating from continental and oceanic weathers that warrants further analysis in support of resources utilization. The hindcast is validated with altimetry and buoy measurements in terms of bulk and partitioned wave parameters to demonstrate its capability in capturing the energy of the multi-modal sea state and resolving the observed, distinct wave components. The 42-year hindcast dataset is instrumental in describing the general weather and wave patterns in Guam and the CNMI and relating the observed wave components to trade winds, monsoons, tropical cyclones, and frontal systems as well as mid-latitude high- and low- pressure systems in the western Pacific. The seasonally averaged significant wave height and power flux reflect transitions between local and distant weather systems, which account for the diverse wave conditions comprising short-period wind seas, intermediate-period wind waves, and long-period swells around the islands. The partitioned parameters from the hindcast describe the spatial distributions of dominant wave components with strong directionality and seasonality, providing an additional level of granularity beyond the established standards for energy resources characterization.