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RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES VOL. 12, ES2003, doi:10.2205/2011ES000507, 2011

Sample application of a low-cost X-band monitoring system of surface currents at the Black Sea shore

D. V. Ivonin

P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia

V. A. Telegin

Research Institute of Long-Range Radiocommunication, Moscow, Russia

V. V. Bakhanov, A. V. Ermoshkin

Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Science, Nizhnij Novgorod, Russia

A. I. Azarov

Southern Branch of the P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Science, Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Region, Russia


Abstract

Nautical X-band radar (low-cost option with the antenna beamwidth 1.9o) was applied for monitoring surface near-shore currents in the Black Sea Field Research Facility of the Southern Branch of P.~P.~Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. The radar signal was processed by an algorithm based on the Nieto-Borge approach. The experimental setup is shown to allow precise real-time near-surface current measurements up to 4 km offshore. A case study of a coherent current pattern resembling a sub-mesoscale vortex passing the experimental field is presented.

Received 5 July 2011; accepted 24 August 2011; published 30 September 2011.

Keywords: X-band radar, radiowave oceanography, currents, sub-mesoscale vortex, Black Sea


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Citation: Ivonin, D. V., V. A. Telegin, V. V. Bakhanov, A. V. Ermoshkin, and A. I. Azarov (2011), Sample application of a low-cost X-band monitoring system of surface currents at the Black Sea shore, Russ. J. Earth Sci., 12, ES2003, doi:10.2205/2011ES000507.

Copyright 2011 by the Geophysical Center RAS