Spatial Velocity Measurements using X-Band Radar at a High Energy Tidal Test Site

The ability to accurately measure wave and currents for a large spatial area normally requires the use of computational models or prohibitively expensive sensor networks. The work outlined in this study assesses the use of an X-band radar system for the remote measurement of surface current at the Falls of Warness. This applies a three dimensional dispersion relation for a series of stacked radar images. The results provide high resolution temporal and spatial information for waves and currents within a 3km domain. When compared to multiple spatially distributed current sensors a good agreement between the radar and in situ sensors is observed. Qualitative analysis of the radar measured spatial surface velocity indicates the presence of large flow features contrary to the results of previous numerical simulations. This provides further understanding of the use of X-band radar as a remote sensing tool for measuring tidal parameters for tidal energy sites.