Qualitative estimation of modeled Snell’s window stereo imagery for wind wave profile retrieval

Abstract

On a qualitative level, the possibilities of using optical stereo images of the sea surface, registered from under the water, are considered in relation to the problem of remote diagnostics of waves. The task is implemented in a numerical experiment using a stereo image model of the Snell’s window (underwater image of the sky) for a given relief of the sea surface. The influence of the camera parameters, observation geometry, illumination and excitement on the quality of constructing disparity maps, necessary to restore the distances to the sighted elements of the sea surface, is analyzed. Recommendations on the methodology of a full-scale experiment in order to test the proposed method are formulated.