Ideal Buoy Location Data (Southern California)

This dataset was derived using the NOAA National Data Buoy Center website. Twenty-two buoy locations were considered: Anacapa Passage Begg Rock Camp Pendleton NearshoreCape San Martin Diablo Canyon East Santa Barbara Harvest Oceanside Offshore Point Loma South San Clemente Basin San Nicolas Island San Pedro San Pedro South Santa Cruz Basin Santa Maria Santa Monica Basin Santa Monica Bay Scripps Nearshore South Santa Rosa Island Tanner Bank Torrey Pines Outer West Santa Barbara The procedure for data access was as follows:1. Go to www.ndbc.noaa.gov2. Specify region: USA-Southwest3. For each above buoy, click "View history" after clicking the buoy on the map4. Under the historical data tab, click each year to be studied (we used 2008-2015) and download relevant txt filesThese files were imported into MATLAB. Calculations were performed on three variables: average wave period, significant wave height, and mean wave direction. Results show average wave power, standard deviation in wave power, and standard deviation in wave direction for each buoy.Additionally, depth to seafloor and distance to shoreline were calculated using Google Earth Pro. Each buoy was ranked according to each variable. In determining ideal zones for three wave energy converters, the relevant rankings were summed in a binary fashion according to characteristics pertaining to the specific converter. The lowest sum of the ranks, shown in the dataset, for each wave energy converter, constitutes an ideal location for implementation.