Line broadening on HF ocean surface radar backscatter spectra

Experimental results from an array of moored current meters and an HF ocean surface radar support the idea that line broadening on the radar spectra is caused by the velocity distribution within the radar target cell. The experiment was done in the wake of a small island where the velocity variations were severe. An estimate is made of the line broadening which can be expected. In a turbulent flow with dissipation rate of the order and target cell size 1 3000 m, the line broadening is Hz. This would be resolved with a radar time series of min and indicates that the HF ocean surface radar technique has potential in the observation of surface velocity distributions.