The study on the numerical simulation and inversion of shallow sea depth based on microwave radar

In this paper, a detection method of shallow sea depth utilizing the microwave radar is proposed. The method is based on the sea clutter imaging mechanism of microwave radar, and combined with dispersion equation of the liner wave theorem and least square method (LSM), consequently get the inversion results of water depth in the detected region. The wave monitoring system OSMAR-X exploited by Ocean State Laboratory, Wuhan University, based on a microwave radar has proven to be a powerful tool to monitor ocean waves in time and space. By analysing a sequence of radar images captured by OSMAR-X, numerical simulation and inversion of shallow sea depth are carried out here, since JONSWAP model can give description of stormy waves in different growth phase, it´s suitable for simulation. Besides, some results from measured data detected by OSMAR-X x-band radar located at Longhai of Fujian Province, China validates this method. The tendency of the average water depths inferred from the radar images is in good agreement with the tide level detected by Xiamen tide station. These promising results suggest the possibility of using OSMAR-X to monitor operationally morphodynamics in coastal zones. This method can be applied to both shore-based microwave radar and shipborne microwave radar.