Applications of HF-radar in Operational Oceanography

Take a look at the poster presented at the EGS'98 conference.

(2) School of Mathematics and Statistics, Applied Mathematics Section, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
email: L.Wyatt@sheffield.ac.uk

Abstract

A High-Frequency (HF)-radar can be used to measure surface current fields and the spatial distribution of ocean wave directional spectra. The physical mechanism behind is backscattering from a moving rough surface. These radars are deployed along the coast and cover an area of up to 50 km x 50 km, which can be observed continuously at 10 minute intervals.

Within the EU MAST-2 project SCAWVEX (Surface Current And Wave Variability EXperiments), work on HF-radar related techniques, algorithms and models, has been performed. The University of Hamburg developed a new HF radar WERA (WEllen RAdar). The wave algorithm has been developed by the University of Sheffield, the current algorithm has been adopted by the University of Hamburg from their previous CODAR (COastal raDAR) system. The spatial resolution of WERA can be selected between 1.2 km and 300 m.

HF radar will be an important tool for coastal management and harbour authorities. Integrated systems using radar measurements and 3-d models are to be developed for this purpose and can play an important role within EuroGOOS. Wave and current data from the SCAWVEX experiments will be presented to demonstrate the value of radar systems of this kind.