Measurements of near surface ocean currents using HF radar

High Frequency (HF) radar is unique both in its ability to probe the ocean currents within the top few meters below the surface and to provide synoptic current maps covering thousands of square kilometers.; This work focuses on the evaluation of ocean current measurement techniques, using the multi-frequency coastal radar (MCR), a system that operates on four frequencies (4.8, 6.8, 13.4 and 21.8 MHz) concurrently. Two methods of data processing, traditional beam forming and a direction finding approach, MUltiple SIgnal Characterization (MUSIC), are compared.; Simulations and comparisons using real data are used to evaluate the application of MUSIC to the MCR and to design modifications to improve its performance. Uncertainties in the radar measurements as a function of radar operating frequency, sea state parameters and data processing method are estimated. Results show MUSIC to be applicable to the MCR and to outperform beam forming, particularly for the lower frequencies, over most of the real and simulated experiments examined.; High resolution ocean wave spectral energy measurements are used to estimate the effect of Stokes drift on MCR measurements. The effect is shown to be small in magnitude relative to the expected errors in the MCR measurements and highly correlated with the wind. Although results show a correlation between the MCR measurements and the expected Stokes drift effect, the correlations could be the result of wind stress-induced currents.; Using assumptions as to the form of the vertical current profile, estimates of the near-surface vertical shear are obtained from the MCR data. Analysis of the shear estimates casts doubt on the validity of a near-surface, logarithmic current profile for the open ocean. Further analysis of vertical shear estimates yields an estimate of the ocean current magnitude at the sea surface that is in agreement with the commonly accepted value of about 3% of the wind speed.; Results of this work demonstrate a significant advantage to using MUSIC direction finding over conventional beam forming in limited aperture, multi-frequency radar applications and improve the MCR's shear measurement capability.