Nuvuk video camera 2 bright image

Two video cameras are installed atop a utility pole near the northernmost point of land in the United States at Nuvuk (Point Barrow), Alaska. The cameras point northwest toward the Arctic Ocean and the boundary between the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Every half hour during daylight hours, the cameras collect snapshots and video for 10 minutes. The most recent image from camera 2 is shown here. Please note that it takes 10 minutes for the images to be posted, once they are collected by the solar-powered camera. Also note that if an old image is shown, the solar panels may not be getting enough sun and the camera system goes into power-saving mode.

This bright image shows the brightest pixel values at each location throughout the video, useful for identifying the position of maximum wave run-up on the beach, position of all breaking waves, and sea-state.  [Larger version]
Learn more about how the USGS uses these images to study wave dynamics.