Applications of high frequency radar for emergency response in the coastal ocean: utilization of the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and vessel tracking

摘要

The value of surface current data from SeaSonde high frequency radars (HFR), operated by the Central Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System (CenGOOS), to NOAA's Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill response is demonstrated. The national integration of HFR data, undertaken as part of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, allowed NOAA to seamlessly utilize the CenGOOS data in giving guidance, throughout the event, on model choice for producing the trajectory forecasts for the spill. Additionally, the value of SeaSondes for response to other maritime emergency events, and to monitor vessels in real-time, under all weather conditions, and beyond-the-horizon, will be discussed. This ability to provide surface current data for a range of response efforts to maritime emergencies demonstrates the importance of extending the HFR coverage in the Gulf