Teledyne RDI Sentinel V Waves Array

The 5-Beam Evolution of High-Resolution Wave and Current Profiling

Product Overview 

The Teledyne RDI Sentinel V Waves Array represents a significant technological leap over the legacy Workhorse series. By integrating Teledyne's field-proven WavesMon processing with the advanced 5-beam Sentinel V ADCP, this system provides the highest-quality wave parameters and current profiles available in a single instrument.

The defining feature of the Sentinel V is its vertical 5th beam, which looks directly up at the water's surface. This beam acts as a high-precision altimeter to provide a direct "Zero-Up" wave measurement, significantly improving the system's ability to resolve shorter, higher-frequency waves—even when deployed in deeper water.

The "5-Beam" Advantage

While traditional ADCPs use 4 beams to derive wave data through orbital velocities, the Sentinel V uses 13 to 25 independent sensors (compared to the Workhorse's 12) by utilizing all 5 beams.

• Vertical Velocity & Range: The 5th beam provides a direct measurement of vertical water velocity and a redundant "range to surface" distance. This allows for superior turbulence measurements and more robust zero-crossing wave analysis.
• Enhanced Array Geometry: The 5th beam creates "shorter lags" in the array. This allows the system to measure shorter wavelengths and higher frequency wave periods than a 4-beam system could at the same depth.
• Larger Aperture: With a 25° Janus angle (vs. 20° on the Workhorse), the Sentinel V has a larger "footprint" on the surface, which provides better directional acuity (precision in determining where waves are coming from).