GCOOS HF Radar Gap AnalysisVersion 1.0, 27 June 2008

• Key Authors– Stephan Howden, USM– Nick Shay, UM– Ann Jochens, TAMU

• Consulted with– GCOOS-RA Board of Directors– Harvey Seim, SECOORA

All RA HFR Gap Analyses available at http://www.usnfra.org/committees.html

GCOOS Network of HF Radar Observing Systems for Surface Currents and Waves

• Continue operations of the existing operational High Frequency Radar

(HFR) network (6 units) in the GCOOS region;

• Determine the status of units that once were operational and whether

such units can be incorporated into the GCOOS HFR network;

• Develop a more complete understanding of quality control and quality

assurance issues for different HFR systems and how to ensure

compatibility and ability to combine measurements from different HFR

systems; and

• Develop for the Gulf a plan for choosing particular HFR station types,

operating frequencies, locations, and infrastructure plans for each site.

Gaps

• Long-Range (>75 km range) HFR: – No operational long-range HFR stations from Brownsville, TX, to Gulfport,

MS (approximately 750 mi). – USM 's long-range HFR stations cover the region from Gulfport, MS, to

Destin, FL. – Another gap exists from Destin, FL, to Redington Shores, FL (approximately

450 mi). – USF's long-range HFR stations cover the region from Redington Shores to

Naples, FL. – The region between Naples, FL, down to the Keys (~ 250 mi) and over into

the Miami, FL, area is the last GCOOS gap.

• Short- and Medium-Range HFR: There is insufficient funding to cover the entire Gulf Coast with these radars; only selected areas.

Priorities for HFR Network

• Cover the US Gulf Coast by long-distance (>75 km) radar systems with overlapping coverage sufficient to estimate 2-D surface current fields in these regions.

• Install HFR equipment that can also measure directional wave information where affordable

• Nest higher frequency radar systems within selected regions for higher spatial and temporal resolution systems is to cover regions with substantial ship and boat traffic.

– 6 NOAA Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS)

• Houston/Galveston, TX,

• Sabine Neches, TX,

• Gulfport, MS,

• Pascagoula, MS,

• Tampa Bay, FL

– Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River

– Corpus Christi, TX

– Miami, FL

• Conduct pilot project to determine how to combine data from different HF radars into a Gulf coastal surface current map

36 HF Radar Sites

Location and Year of Deployment

Tentative Institution

Year 1 - LR Year 2 - LR Year 3 - LR Year 4 - SMR Year 5 – SMR

Texas TAMU 3 East* 2 South 1 South none 2 Sabine Neches Louisiana LSU 1 West* 2 East 4 Central 1 West 2 Miss Riv (LR) Mississippi USM none none none 2 Pascagoula 2 Gulfport Alabama DISL none none none 2 Mobile Bay none Florida FSU/UWF

FSU USF UM

2 Panhandle none none none

none 2 Big Bend**

none none

none 1 Big Bend

none none

none none

2 N Central none

none none none none

Est. Cost $1,840,020 $1,873,950 $1,901,790 $2,245,235 $1,985,455