OUR STORY
Bumps in the night…
Our story goes back almost 3 decades, to an amazing data set collected by WaveForce founder Jeffrey Hanson with research colleagues on a winter air-sea interaction research cruise in the North Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by low-pressure anticyclones, 5.3-m (17-foot) waves knocked us out of our bunks at night. Curious to decipher the hidden messages in the wave field, Dr. Hanson developed an unique set of analysis routines that not only separated out (partitioned) sea and swell events in directional wave spectra but also tracked the swell events through time and space back to their origin. The stunning results revealed that not only did we have waves from the local storm events, but there existed an underlying swell that traveled 15,000 km (over 9000 miles) from storms rolling around Antarctica!
Making the world safe
As it turns out, these wave partitioning and tracking routines were just what the offshore industry needed to accurately compute design criteria for offshore structures and floating platforms, helping to save people and oceans from fatigue related accidents. Hence, WaveForce Technologies was formed in 2003 to further develop and supply this technology to the offshore industry. We have continuously responded to industry requests by adding new capabilities and features, such as spectral curve fitting, historical sea state analyses, wave model validations, and real-time automated data processing for observing systems. As a result, our software tools have become the preferred standard in many sectors of ocean research and engineering. We are fortunate to have partnered with RPS on software development and sales, allowing us to maintain close contact with our customers and their needs.
Forecasting for a Greener Tomorrow
Searching for an even better way to help save the planet, we put our wave processing technology at the heart of a custom wave forecasting system supporting clean wind power for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This completely re-invented the traditional approach to wave forecasting with a new and totally innovative approach for data assimilation, which uses local measurements to correct modeling errors through the individual sea and swell wave systems. The result is a stunningly accurate short-term forecast to aid in critical decision making for safer and more efficient operations. We are proud to be working with the Commonwealth of Virginia for a greener future to be possible.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Hanson is an established expert in the fields of air-sea interaction and ocean waves with 35 years of experience. His research has led to the development of automated ocean wave analysis techniques which are used in the world’s leading wave forecast modeling systems and in various capacities worldwide to ensure safe and efficient offshore operations. Recently Dr. Hanson has focused on the development of offshore wind energy and has developed an innovative new wave forecasting technology currently in use by the Commonwealth of Virginia for offshore wind energy planning. He has a PhD in Physical Oceanography from Johns Hopkins University and has held research scientist positions at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and the US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC. He is presently co-owner/CEO of WaveForce Technologies LLC.
Dr. Brian Blanton is a physical oceanographer with extensive experience in forecasting and prediction in the coastal ocean. As a senior scientist at a research computing institute in North Carolina, his research focuses on storm surge and tide dynamics, interaction of storm surge and coastal river flooding, and the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on coastal hazards and risks. He has led large projects for FEMA-funded coastal flood insurance studies, where the primary computational engine is the storm surge, tide, and wind-wave model ADCIRC/SWAN. His expertise includes forecasting of coastal water levels and waves, model verification and validation, scientific programming, and high-performance computing He earned a PhD in Marine Sciences (physical oceanography) in 2003 from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is a Chief Scientist at WaveForce Technologies LLC.
Mr. Daniel Mendelsohn has more than 35 years’ experience in environmental engineering applications with a focus on numerical model development and application, hydrodynamics, hydraulics, water quality, waves, meteorology and in sediment, pollutant, thermal, oil and chemical spill transport and fates. His expertise is in the design, implementation and management of engineering analyses in the environment including modeling studies, metocean observations and data analysis, environmental impact assessments, permitting support, site assessments, water quality analyses, dredging impacts assessment, resource assessment, and feasibility studies. He has focused on all phases of renewable energy system projects for electric power cooperatives, municipalities, state government agencies, resort developments, and offshore wind energy projects. He has a MS in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rhode Island, is owner/CEO of Innovative Environmental Science LLC and a Senior Scientist at WaveForce Technologies LLC.