Multi-frequency HF radar for mapping current shear and vector winds

A new radar is in final stages of development and testing by Imaging Science Research (ISR), Inc., under sponsorship by the Office of Naval Research. The system is based on digital receiver technology incorporated into a PC operating environment. The capability of broad band operation across the whole HF band and beyond allows for new applications in both ocean sciences and ship traffic control. Use of bistatic geometry simplifies logistics and allows all data acquisition and processing to be done at a single site. The use of multiple frequencies for ocean science application allows one to measure current shear in the vertical dimension over depths of the order of a few meters. Recent results by other co-workers has shown that under some conditions, such vertical shear can be used to infer wind speed over the radar cell by matching the stress across the surface boundary layer.