Directional spectrum estimation from a Bayesian approach

A new directional spectral estimation method using a Bayesian approach is proposed. The proposed method is examined for numerical simulation data, and the validity of the method is discussed. Some examples of the directional spectra estimated from field observation data attained at an offshore oil rig utilizing seven wave probes are also shown in this report. The major conclusions of the report are: (1) the proposed method can be applied for more than four arbitrarily mixed instrument array measurements, (2) it has a higher resolution power than other existing methods for estimating directional spectrum, (3) it is a better method for estimating directional spectra from the cross-power spectra contaminated with estimation errors, and (4) it is more adaptable to reformulation of the estimation equations as the study of structures of directional spectrum progresses.