SCAWVEX Objective
The primary objective of the SCAWVEX project (EC Mast-2,
Surface Current and Wave Variability
Experiment) is to measure the spatial and temporal variability of ocean
surface waves and currents. This will be achieved by:
- utilising the full range of state of the art techniques and models
of waves and currents to assemble data sets necessary for understanding their
spatial and temporal variability in coastal regions.
- intercomparing data sets from
HF radar / SAR/ Altimeter/ Accelerometers/
ADCP/ current meters/ pressure cells/ X-Band radar. The intercomparison
will examine:
- statistical intercomparison methodologies,
- the response characteristics of the instruments,
- the spatial and temporal averaging of the instrument,
- effects of wave-current interaction.
Within the project, 8 partners
from 4 European countries work together.
The main tasks of University of Hamburg, Institute of Oceanography, are
- to modify their HF radar
CODAR
to enable measurements of ocean wave parameters -
the modified CODAR is called
WERA
(WEllen RAdar),
- to support measurement campaigns at the Dutch coast by deploying the
WERA system at the Rhine and near Petten,
- to analyse wind driven and tidal currents from the measured surface current
fields and compare them to conventional (point) measurements by
current meters and ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler).
Two experiments have been carried out at the Dutch coast, involving
- standard oceanographic measurements as wave bouys, current meters,
ADCP etc., conducted by Rijkswaterstaat,
- a bottom-mounted platform including S4DW and ADCP conducted by POL,
- ERS-1 / ERS-2 SAR / TOPEX/POSEIDON images analysed by Oceanor / SINTEF,
- HF radar (CODAR / WERA) measurements of surface currents conducted
by the University of Hamburg,
- Ocean wave directional spectra analysed from HF radar measurements conducted
by the University of Sheffield.
Results of the University of Hamburg HF radar measurements can be
found here:
Results have been or are to be published on conferences:
SCAWVEX Partners
This work has been supported by the European Commission DG XII within
the
MAST-2 programme, project SCAWVEX, ct94-0103.
|
