Institution of Oceanography deployed an array of 24 pressure sensors and 1 
current meter at a depth of 13 m. This array covered an area 300 m by 300 m 
and is referred to as the “13-m array” throughout the remainder of the report 
(Figure 2). This effort was conducted by Dr. Robert Guza and Dr. Thomas 
Herbers with assistance from Dr. Steven Elgar and Dr. Joan Oltman-Shay. The 
13-m array was deployed in August 1990 and operation began in September 
1990. Although SAMSON officially ended at the end of November, the 13-m 
array continued to collect data until June 1991. 
The 13-m array was operated in conjunction with the existing FRF 
directional wave array located directly landward in 8 m of water, and 
henceforth referred to as the “8-m array.” This array, operated by Dr. Charles 
Long, consisted of a cross of pressure sensors with nine sensors located in a 
shore-parallel line and six in a cross-shore line (Figure 2). 
Three additional arrays were deployed to measure the microseisms. Dr. 
Tok Yamamoto (University of Miami) deployed an array of five Ocean 
Bottom Seismometers (OBS) along the same 13-m depth contour as the 
Scripps’ array. These not only recorded the microseisms but could also be 
used to measure the directional wave field. A large array of land-based 
seismometers was deployed across the state of North Carolina by Dr. John 
Nabelek (Oregon State University) and another OBS array was deployed in 
deeper water across the continental shelf. 
Although data collected from the 8-m and 13-m arrays discussed above 
provided useful directional wave information for DELILAH, there was a 
separate array deployed closer to shore, referred to from here on as the 
“DELILAH array.” This array and the DELILAH experiment are summarized 
in the remainder of this report. 
DELILAH 
The idea for DELILAH originated during the later planning stages of 
SAMSON. Simultaneous collection of wave and current data from 8-m and 
13-m depths led to the suggestion that similar inshore data would provide 
information necessary to characterize the entire surf zone. Experience with 
earlier experiments, such as DUCK85' and SUPERDUCK, helped to refine the 
objectives, instrumentation plan, required equipment, and general logistics for 
‘Mason, C., Birkemeier, W. A., and Howd, P.A. (1987). "An Overview of DUCK85, a Nearshore 
Processes Experiment." Proceedings of the Coastal Sediments '87 Conference, American Society of Civil 
Engineers. 
Crowson, R. A., Birkemeier, W. A., Klein, H. M., and Miller, H. C. (1988). "SUPERDUCK 
Nearshore Processes Experiment: Summary of Studies, CERC Field Research Facility," Technical Report 
CERC-88-12, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. 
Chapter 1 Introduction 
