BackForward Variable: Significant wave height

Definition
Full name Significant wave height
Definition Average amplitude of the highest 30 of 100 waves.
Measuring Units m Uncertainty Units m
Horizontal Res Units km Vertical Res Units
Stability Units m (Stability /decade)

 

Comment:
Last modified: 2025-08-04
Applied in OSCAR/Space Gap Analysis: Yes
Classification
  • Domain: Ocean
    • Sub-domain: Ocean
      • Variable: Significant wave height
        • Measured in Layers:
          • Sea surface
  • Cross-cutting themes:

Requirements defined for Significant wave height  (5)

This tables shows all related requirements. For more operations/filtering, please consult the full list of Requirements
Note: In reading the values, goal is marked blue, breakthrough green, threshold orange
Application-dependent Technical Priority (ATP) Magenta and Relative priority of the attributes Red

Id Variable Layer App Area ATP Uncertainty Layer/s Quality Coverage Quality Stability / decade Hor Res Ver Res Obs Cyc Timeliness Coverage Conf Level Val Date Source General Comment Application Area Comment Horizontal Coverage Comment Observation Comment Performance Comment
107 Significant wave height Sea surface Climate-AOPC (deprecated) 0.1 m
0.3 m
2 m 		25 km
50 km
250 km 		3 h
4 h
6 h 		3 h
6 h
12 h 		Global ocean firm 2007-07-19 AOPC
298 Significant wave height Sea surface 2.1 Global Numerical Weather Prediction and Real-time Monitoring 0.1 m
0.3 m
0.5 m 		15 km
50 km
250 km 		60 min
3 h
12 h 		6 min
30 min
6 h 		Global ocean firm 2009-02-10 John Eyre
374 Significant wave height Sea surface 2.2 High-Resolution Numerical Weather Prediction 0.1 m
0.3 m
0.5 m 		5 km
10 km
40 km 		30 min
3 h
6 h 		10 min
30 min
3 h 		Global ocean firm 2011-07-29 T Montmerle
843 Significant wave height Sea surface 2.5 Atmospheric Climate Monitoring 0.1 m 0.05 m 25 km 3 h Global reasonable 2019-10-15 GCOS-200: The Global Observing System for Climate: Implementation Needs (Published 2016) Requirements in the GCOS-200 IP, Annex A, are only specified at the goal level.
1041 Significant wave height Sea surface 3.3 Oceanic Climate Monitoring and Services 0.5 0.05 m 0.01 m
0.1 m 		1 km
25 km
100 km
0.5 		60 min
3 h
24 h
0.5 		7 d
30 d
1 y
0.5 		Global reasonable 2023-09-29 GCOS-245: The 2022 ECVs Requirements (GCOS-245) The uncertainty was originally expressed only as a goal with a 5%. I have established 5 cm as the goal assuming a wave height of 1 m.