WIND - WAVE CURRENT CONDITIONS AT BIKINI ATOLL

‘Between 3 and 15 April 1953 a survey was made at Bikini Atoll to determine

wave and wind conditions, the relationship between wind and waves, and in
addition, current observations.

Wind and Waves = The lagoon is almost completely protected from the pre-e

dominant ocean swell on the windward side (ENE).

A secondary swell from east

to east-southeast enters Fnyu channel and dominates the wave conditions throughout the lagoon in spite of the fact that winds blew continuously from easte

northeast with a velocity of

to 20 knots.

The mean wind was 13.5 knots,

Ninety percent of the observations fell between 9 and 19 knots. Although the
winds changed the height of the waves, relative to the wind velocity and fetch,
the waves maintained their characteristic pattern radiating from Enyu Channel

with little directional influence from the wind.

The secondary swell influence

inside the lagoon may be expected to reach a maximum during July and August and

be at a minimm during January and February, The average periods for the
observations in the lagoon range from ).0 to 5.9 seconds. The swell that enters
the lagoon does not have the "long" period normally attributed to swell (any
wave not being generated by local winds). This is the case when wave direction
is markedly different from the wind direction. «
' OBSERVED WAVE HEIGHTS

STA.

WIND
(kn. )

FETCH
(n. mi.)

OBS. HT.
(ft.)

1
2

15
16

0.9
1.5

1.5
1.6

3

15

1.8

2.0

4

15

2.3

1.8

3A
5

20

LS

2.3

16

5.7

226

15

7
TA
8

15
16
20

12

19

10
11
12A
13

Appendix G

2.0

Ww

SA

6

1.8
3.5

18
19

9.0
9,0
11.5

2 oy
36a
207

16.5

3.3

13.0
1720

1§

15.3

18

14.0

-23-

209

2.6
3.6
2.9

3.0

% S

f

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