Open AccessSURFACE CURRENTS REMOTELY OBSERVED BY MEANS OF RADAR
Author(s) -
F. Schirmer,
H.H. Essen,
K.W. Gurgel
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
proceedings of conference on coastal engineering/proceedings of ... conference on coastal engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2156-1028
pISSN - 0589-087X
DOI - 10.9753/icce.v20.197
Subject(s) - radar , remote sensing , backscatter (email) , satellite , current (fluid) , geology , surface (topology) , measure (data warehouse) , meteorology , geodesy , computer science , geography , telecommunications , aerospace engineering , oceanography , engineering , mathematics , geometry , database , wireless
Surface currents normally are difficult to measure. Only a set of Lagrangian drifters observed from fixed stations or from an aircraft or by satellite can give adequate information. Beneath this there is a new and powerfull field measuring tool which functions with a decametre backscatter radiowave RADAR. Two (or more) such fixed RADAR stations on land or on islands can remotely measure the surface currents in front of them with high resolution in space and time. This paper has two aims: first, to give a short explanation of the physical principles of the backscatter RADAR and to show its requirements and its limits, and secondly, to demonstrate the possibilities offered by this RADAR with an example of the coastal surface current off Norway.