Monitoring Coastal Processes and Ocean Wave Directional Spectra Using a Marine Radar

摘要

We discuss the application of microwave radars to remote sensing of ocean waves and currents in the coastal zone. A new X-band marine radar family (coherent and noncoherent) operating at 10-m scales can map nearshore bathymetry, and measure ocean currents and wave spectra at distances out to a few kilometers. We present some examples of bathymetry experiments and recent empirical results in establishing the Modulation Transfer Function that relates radar image spectra to ocean wave directional spectra, and allows such wave spectrum measurements. We discuss the plan for a real time operational system based on this technology.