First Long-range CODAR HF Radar in Canada

Release Date: 17 February 2004

In wind-chill factors below -20° C, the University of Maine's Physical Oceanography Group installed Canada's first long-range CODAR SeaSonde HF radar near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The site was activated on 23 January 2004.

HF radar signals travel well beyond the horizon and respond to the ocean in a predictable manner. According to Dr. Brian Whitehouse, president of OEA Technologies, "this results in HF radar being the technology of choice for near-real time synoptic surface current and sea state information." HF radars also have the potential to detect surface targets and therefore are also being developed for coastal surveillance purposes.

The Nova Scotia site is a component of GoMoos - the Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System. One of the site's first maps of surface current radials can be viewed here.

Surface current radials are the components of surface current that flow directly towards or away from the radar. Two adjacent radars are required to obtain full surface current vectors. Although still in the commissioning phase, GoMoos is generating current vectors by combining data from the Canadian site with data obtained from radars installed on the American side. Additional information on HF radar can be found here

The installation was led by Karl Schlenker and Rob Bell of U. Maine and included assistance from Hugh Roarty ( Rutgers University ), Chad Whelan (CODAR Ocean Sensors) and Brian Whitehouse (OEA Technologies). For further information on U. Maine's physical oceanography program, or GoMoos, access the above referenced Web sites. For additional information on OEA Technologies and CODAR radars in Canada access www.oeatech.com.