Author(s): Shin’Ichi Sakai; Shuzo Nishida; Akihide Tada; Masafumi Matsuyama; Takaki Tsubono
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Ocean radar; Velocity accuracy; Horizontal current behaviour; Particle tracking
Abstract: The digital beam forming type ocean radar (hereafter DBF ocean radar) developed by Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) can detect the surface current distributions as an extent of 25 km every 15 minutes with the velocity resolution of 2. 13 cm/s. We evaluated the precision of the DBF ocean radar and the reliability of the derived horizontal current features compared with the field observation of current meters, drifting buoys, and the previous research works. The result of the field experiments by the DBF ocean radar in west Osaka Bay with the moored ADCPs indicated that the DBF ocean radar has the accuracy regarding the surface current measurement equivalent to the ADCPs with the standard error of the regression analysis 10 cm/s. In addition, the result of the field observation with GPS-mounted drifting buoys in east Osaka Bay in 2003 led to the prospect of possibility to chase the floating matter such as marine litter by the DBF ocean radar measurements. The derived tidal current distribution in Ariake Bay showed the good accordance with the previous research works quantitatively, and the retrieved characteristics of divergence and rotation of the horizontal currents are also consistent with the previous research works qualitatively. The wide and continuous information of the coastal currents based on the DBF ocean radar observation contribute to the elucidation of the relationship between seawater circulation and water quality.
Year: 2007