Researchers have discovered that applying a fingerprint algorithm to ocean ripples can help in predicting the path and behaviour of storms.A team led by Carter DuVal, a University of Delaware doctoral student studying oceanography, has found that the uniqueness of ocean ripples can help scientists understand storms.The researchers use a fingerprint algorithm to more accurately predict what type of bedforms would be expected with a storm the size and magnitude of Storm Sandy.”At practical levels, if we are going to appropriately predict and model how storms are going to behave, we need to be able to determine ripple parameters, such as wavelength and orientation to the shoreline, with accuracy. Until we began using a fingerprint algorithm, we didn't have strong enough tools to do this,” Trembanis told Phys.org.The magazine notes that because part of the fingerprint algorithm's role is to filter out areas that are featureless and focus only on areas with texture or directionality, that his strengthened the researchers' data analysis.The team now plans to extend the fingerprint algorithm to help the researchers analyse the appearance of the ripples, specifically, whether the ripples were straight or curved or something else.
Fingerprint algorithm used to understand storm behaviour
