Nathan Laxague, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
UNH Depts. of Mechanical Engineering and Ocean Engineering
Friday, November 7, 2025, 3:10 p.m.
Chase 105
Abstract
Ocean surface waves are essential mediators of atmosphere-ocean interactions, facilitating the transfer of momentum, heat, and gas across the air-sea interface. Short wind-generated surface waves with lengths of order 1 m and smaller are most closely associated with these fluxes. However, the most commonly-used ocean wave measurement techniques (buoys, fixed gauges, ADCPs, etc.) are not able to resolve these short waves. The polarimetric slope sensing (PSS) technique allows one to remotely measure the spatiotemporal characteristics of the surface wave field at high resolution. These short wave measurements also allow one to infer the near-surface current profile from its effect on the propagation of short surface gravity waves. In this presentation I will describe recent advancements in mitigating the limitations of PSS and extending its application to a broader range of research questions. These developments are part of a persistent effort to improve the capabilities and resolution of wave and current measurement techniques-- an effort all the more important as numerical models continue to improve in fidelity.
Bio
Prof. Nathan Laxague received his Ph.D. in 2016 from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, and his B.S. in 2011 from the University of Miami. Prior to joining UNH, he was a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Prof. Laxague makes field and laboratory measurements to explore the fundamental physical interactions between the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. He is particularly interested in ocean surface waves and their mediation of air-sea fluxes, looking to leverage the best-available engineering solutions in order to improve in-situ observational techniques.
