Doppler HF Radar Application for the Study of Spatial Structure of Currents in the Black Sea

V.V. Gorbatskiy1, K.D. Sabinin2, V.A. Telegin3, A.G. Zatsepin4, ✉, S.B. Kuklev5

1 Krylov State Research Centre, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation

2 N.N. Andreev Acoustic Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation

3 N.V. Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

4 P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

5 Southern Department of the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gelendshik, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: zatsepin@ocean.ru

Abstract

The results of the surface current spatial structure observations performed by SeaSonde Doppler HF radar (operating frequency is 25 MHz) in the Black Sea region adjacent to the city of Gelendzhik are represented. The observations imply a special technique consisting in successive measurements at two selected points of the coastline. Initially, the measurements are carried out in the first of two selected coastal points during two hours. Then the radar system is transferred to the second point on the coast where the procedure is repeated. At that the velocity field is assumed to remain unchanged during the total measurement period (including the time of the radar displacement) from both points. The measurement results are shown in a form of a spatial map of the current velocity vectors in the research region (with 20 × 20 km dimensions). Some features of the current spatial and temporal variability in the coastal waters are revealed. Particularly, the eddy-like formations (the diameter is a few kilometers) which rapidly move and collapse. Since similar eddies are detected using the contact measurement methods, complex and variable structure of the surface currents measured by a radar does not seem to be an artifact. Nevertheless, reliability of the data resulted from the radar measurements of the surface current velocity field should be verified in future by comparing it with the results of the quasi-synchronous velocity field measurements performed by stationary, drifting and towed velocity meters.

Keywords

the Black Sea, coastal zone, Doppler HF radar, two-point measurement range, correlation radius, antenna, surface currents, eddy structures

For citation

Gorbatskiy, V.V., Sabinin, K.D., Telegin, V.A., Zatsepin, A.G. and Kuklev, S.B., 2017. Doppler HF Radar Application for the Study of Spatial Structure of Currents in the Black Sea. Physical Oceanography, (3), pp. 58-68. doi:10.22449/1573-160X-2017-3-58-68

DOI

10.22449/1573-160X-2017-3-58-68

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