The Problem of Reconstructing the Profile of the Sea Surface from the Video Image of Laser Beams

Currently, there are no remote methods for recording the instantaneous two-dimensional profile of the sea surface Z(x, y, t) in field conditions. There are no methods for recording capillary wave profiles directly on the sea surface. The short-wave component of sea waves plays a very important role in radiometry in the formation of the surface's own radiation and in solving inverse radar problems. This article proposes an optical measurement technique that makes it possible to measure the parameters of the entire wave spectrum, including capillary waves with amplitude of less than 0.1 mm. However, the author has not yet been able to fully solve the inverse problem of reconstructing the two-dimensional wave profile. The author considered it expedient to formulate this problem and involve the scientific community in its successful solution. Obtaining the profile of sea waves Z(x, y, t) in natural conditions with a high update rate will allow obtaining complete information about the characteristics of waves, temporal and spatial spectra of elevations, spectra of slopes, and studying the evolution of waves when the wind changes. Of particular value is the possibility of recording and studying the short-wave components of waves, including capillary waves.