Long-term Observations of HF Radar Along West Coast of Canada

Manman Wang1, Dr. Richard K Dewey, Ph.D.2, Steven F Mihaly3, Michael G Morley1 and Kevin Bartlett1, (1)Ocean Networks Canada, Victoria, BC, Canada, (2)Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada, (3)University of Victoria, Ocean Networks Canada, Victoria, BC, Canada
Abstract:
Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, operates seven high-frequency (HF) radar systems along Canada’s west coast since 2011. Four CODAR SeaSonde radars collect surface-current data in the Strait of Georgia in the Salish Sea; two additional systems are located in the Prince Rupert area. All six of these systems operate at 25 MHz. A WERA array operates at 13.5MHz in Tofino, off the west coast of Vancouver Island. ONC CODAR sites covering the shipping lanes in the eastern Juan de Fuca Strait now being installed and will be soon on line. The near-coastal waters within the footprint of these radar systems are difficult environments for estimating accurate surface current data from HF radar due to input of fresh water from major river systems such as the Fraser rivers, and complex wave interactions. Quality Control of High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data based on QARTOD manual are now being implemented to ONC’s Oceans 2.0 data portal to deliver high-quality surface current data to users. More practical applications, oil spill, search rescue, etc, are under development. This presentation reviews the long-term HF Radar observations, and the improvement of quality of HF Radar data.
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