Surface Circulation Radar Mapping in Alaskan Coastal Waters: Beaufort Sea and Cook Inlet

摘要

A high-frequency radar (HFR) system used to map surface currents from shore was installed on the Beaufort Sea during the open water seasons of 2005 and 2006 and in southern Cook Inlet from November 2006 through November 2007. We used a switchable-frequency HFR system that operates at 25 or 13 MHz. The system maps ocean currents in real-time over a broad area (40 and 60 km offshore range, depending upon frequency) on a grid with a 1 to 3 km resolution. The surface current data can be used for spill response planning, search and rescue, marine navigation, and marine ecosystem studies. The objectives of this study included assessing the viability of HFR in the presence of partially ice-covered waters and to obtain background information on currents on the inner shelf of the Beaufort Sea and Cook Inlet in order to improve spill trajectory models.