Watching the data from the new buoy off Michigan City, we noticed that the wind gusts were consistently higher than the wind speeds in the page posting current conditions, although they were correct in the 24-hour and 5-day data. Also, some of the average wave periods were registering 16 seconds, which isn’t likely on the Great Lakes.
So we placed a call to Cary Troy, Assistant Professor in the Hydraulics and Hydrology Group at the Purdue University School of Engineering, which co-owns and operates the new buoy with the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.
“I think we must have switched the two numbers,” Troy replied of the wind speed figures, thanking us for noticing the error. He and his colleagues promptly corrected the error. As for the wave period, he explained that the sensor on the buoy turned out to be noisier than he and his colleagues expected. They’ll be adding a filter to eliminate the extraneous values after they remove the buoy from the lake for the season. Until then, he suggested looking at the 24-hour data and ignoring the spikes.
So will we ever get a buoy closer to Chicago, we asked? Troy said conversations are underway with the Shedd Aquarium about possibly installing a buoy in the waters near Chicago’s Museum Campus. He also noted the existence of some buoys closer to Chicago, though they do not provide the wave data sought by kayakers.
Cary Troy, 765-494-3844, troy@purdue.edu
Didn’t expect the sensor to be so noisy, Relys on how buoy responds . Has acesserolometer. that tells what thinks the period and wave height are. Holland and st jo have same design. Will get filter in the next year. “I think we must have switched the two numbers. ” Noise on the data. Look at the boomon of the pink line. will add ilter that will get rid of the bad valus. Wave register. Continuously over a 8-minute period and looks at what wave monibating the energy, T”here’s a ton of other waves rolling around in there.” Tested this last monght. Will remove for the season in another month or so.
Closer to Chicago?
Talking to Shedd about lytting one near there.
‘There are a couple newer ones assic with the MWRD he will send link.
And a new webcam at Mi City too.
Richard L. Whitman
