Panorama view of the North and South jetties at the Yaquina Bay inlet, Newport, OR

Wave Imaging Marine Radar at Newport, OR (South Jetty of Yaquina Bay Inlet)

Conventional marine radar technology is being adapted as a tool for wave observing in coastal areas. Researchers within the Ocean Engineering Program at Oregon State University in cooperation with Imaging Science Research, Inc. have developed a high-resolution wave observation system using an X-band marine radar with a customized data acquisition system. These observation systems offer the potential for providing real-time wave information over large nearshore areas (~20 km2). We expect that remote sensing technology such as this can provide a considerable benefit at navigational entrances where wave conditions are often hazardous and highly variable and where traditional in-situ sensors are often ineffective or cannot be safely deployed.

View of radar with the Yaquina Bay Bridge in the background

Google Earth image showing the radar location

Links

Wave-averaged movie of last month

Every hour, the radar records 256 rotations (about 7 min). Each frame of the below video is a pixel-by-pixel average of a 256-rotation recording, side by side with the calculated directional spectrum from that recording.

Download: [WebM] [OGV] [MP4 (H.264)]
To examine a particular time period at a slower frame rate, consider using QuickTime or VLC Media Player. In VLC, video speed can be controlled with the [ and ] keys, and the 'e' key can be used to step through frame-by-frame.