According to ocean-observing specialist Brian G. Whitehouse, the common view of the sea is based on perception, not fact. "If you want to convince yourself of this," says Whitehouse, "just ask anyone how many oceans or seas there are. Even seasoned sailors cannot answer these basic questions with confidence, and for good reason." Dr. Whitehouse, who is the president of OEA Technologies Inc, just released a new book on the subject, entitled A Sense of the Sea: Our View of the Sea and How We Got It. Whitehouse says he admires the way Rachel Carson hooked the public on oceanography with her 1951...


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OEA Technologies Incorporated and the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), Barbados, are partnering to pursue mutual interests in the Caribbean Sea. Primary focus areas include climate change adaptation, disaster management, marine operations and coastal zone management. CERMES is located on the Cave Hill campus of the University of West Indies. Its mission is to make a significant contribution to sustainable development in the Caribbean by: (i) providing graduate students with advanced training; (ii) conducting research in the natural resource and environmental...


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OEA Technologies Inc. and Akoostix Inc. have formed a cooperative alliance in pursuit of military and homeland security applications of CODAR SeaSonde HF radar data. Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, based Akoostix specializes in marine surveillance, ocean observation, software design, signal processing and data fusion, with a focus on underwater warfare and maritime defence. OEA is a recognized leader in the provision of oceanographic consulting services and is the exclusive supplier and technical support representative for CODAR HF radars in Canada and parts of the Caribbean. “The coastal ocean observing...


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CODAR SeaSonde HF radars have been providing real-time data to agencies in several countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean for more than a decade. This wide distribution made them well placed for detecting Japan’s March 2011 tsunami in a variety of locations and configurations. Two high-resolution (42 MHz) SeaSondes installed on Hokkaido, northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, were the closest to the earthquake epicenter and the first HF radar systems to observe the tsunami. Being close to the source, the ~40-minute period was clearly visible in the SeaSonde-observed surface current...


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The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has released its report to Congress regarding acidification in the ocean, as it pertains to climate change. The recommended strategy addresses effects of rising levels of carbon dioxide ( pCO2 ) in the atmosphere and ocean. Such changes affect the health of corals and coral reefs in the Caribbean and elsewhere. Key Findings include: - A global network of chemical and biological observations is needed to monitor changes in ocean conditions attributable to acidification. - Changes in seawater chemistry are expected to affect marine organisms that...


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Last month, the University of Victoria's VENUS program successfully completed antenna pattern measurements for its high-resolution CODAR Seasonde HF radar system. The two CODAR Seasondes were tested off the city of Vancouver overlooking the Strait of Georgia, near the Fraser River delta. The accompanying map shows sample radial surface current measurements obtained from the Westshore Terminal test site. Total surface current measurements are obtained by combining these radial surface currents with those obtained from the other test site, located near the Iona breakwater. "We are very pleased...


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The VENUS ocean observatory in British Columbia is finalizing field site selections for its forthcoming CODAR SeaSonde HF radar network. “It is a matter of optimizing antenna locations to get the best surface current data” said Dr. Brian Whitehouse, president of OEA Technologies Incorporated. Once installed, the CODAR HF radar network will monitor surface currents in coastal areas of the Strait of Georgia. “Researchers will use the surface maps of currents to monitor both tides and the fate of the Fraser River plume”, says Dr. Richard Dewey, the VENUS associate director, research. “The...


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Pro-Oceanus Systems Inc. (PSI) and OEA Technologies Inc. have formed a partnership to co-operatively address climate change and coral health issues in coastal zones of the Caribbean Sea. Pro-Oceanus’ in situ gas sensors measure the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide, a key parameter in research programs pertaining to climate change and the effects of pH on the health of coral reefs. When these environmental parameters are monitored in combination with sea surface temperature ( SST ), which OEA addresses with ocean observing satellite sensors, research and coastal monitoring agencies gain...


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OEA Technologies Incorporated is expanding its marine consultancy and remote sensing divisions into the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2010, OEA initiated its Caribbean activities with CODAR SeaSonde representation in the neighbouring island of Barbados. “From an environmental monitoring perspective”, says Dr. Brian Whitehouse, OEA’s president, “neighbouring Caribbean states face common problems and therefore have several common objectives. In addition to country-wide environmental monitoring networks, there are cost-benefits to establishing regional...


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The University of Victoria’s VENUS coastal ocean observatory http://www.venus.uvic.ca is expanding its ocean observing network with technology provided by OEA Technologies Incorporated, Halifax. Once installed, the CODAR HF radar system will monitor surface currents in coastal areas of the Strait of Georgia. “Researchers will use the surface maps of currents to monitor both tides and the fate of the Fraser River plume”, says Dr. Richard Dewey, the VENUS associate director, research. “The area is also heavily used for commercial shipping and regular operational products will be generated...


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