Real-time measurement of wide-area near-surface ocean current

• Main Author: Attarsharghi, Samareh
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2017
• Subjects: Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/12569/; https://research.library.mun.ca/12569/1/thesis.pdf

Of all of the physical parameters of the ocean realm, the speed and direction of the movement of ocean water, otherwise referred to as ocean “current,” is one of the most problematic to characterize. Currents influence the global climate, used for producing power, are crucial in determining the oil spill trajectories and ocean contaminant control, can either work against or with the movement of ships at sea and govern the movements of icebergs. Icebergs are a threat to offshore industries and marine transportations, particularly in places like the Northwest Atlantic, because of damages they can cause once they strike the oil platforms or ship hulls. They are steered by the near-surface current and not the surface current. Therefore, measurment of the real-time ocean currents at desired depths is valuable for the industries or researchers who are dealing with or studying the oceanographic data. Ocean current measurment methods that are currently being employed for ocean monitorings, are not able to measure the real-time current at certain desired depths over a larg area of the ocean. Thus, the existing current measurement methods need improvements. Limitations of the existing methods are as follows. Acoustic dopler current profilers (ADCP), are one of the most popular methods employed by most of the industries dealing with the oceanograghy. ADCPs are capable of measuring the current at any desired depth; however, their measurement method is of a point nature and they cannot measure an area averaged current data. Other techniques such as high frequency radio detecting and ranging systems (HF-RADAR) are also used to measure the surface currents (down to 15 m). These shore-based current meters with radio antenna, follow the same premise of the ADCP. In other words their measurement is dependant on the Doppler effect to determine the direction and velocity of the currents; however, they are capable of evaluating only the surface currents and not the near-surface currents (70-100 meter of depth is considered in this ...