RIP CURRENT OBSERVATION WITH X-BAND RADAR

Abstract

X-band radar measurements were conducted at the research pier HORS, of the Port and Airport Research Institute, located in Hasaki, Japan. Ensembles of original radar images over 17 minutes were processed to time-averaged radar images every hour, which were analyzed to estimate the intertidal morphology and occurrence of rip currents. Several streaks extending in the cross shore direction appear in the averaged images which resemble to a neck and head of a rip current captured often in aerial photos or video imageries. The natures of these characteristic patterns in the time-averaged image are investigated through comparisons between optical images, floater release experiment and statistic analyses on sea conditions.