Wave Radars

A comparison of concepts and techniques

Radar Remote Sensing of ocean surface waves may in general be defined as measuring characteristics of the sea surface by means of electromagnetic waves so that the sea surface is itself not disturbed. The electro-magnetic waves transmitted by the radar antenna are scattered back from the sea surface, modulated in amplitude and phase or frequency by the interaction with the sea surface in motion. This modulation carries information about sea-surface characteristics, surface waves and currents. Oceanographic data is extracted from the backscatter signal by sophisticated signal processing and data analysis. Why remote sensing? Surface ocean waves may be measured by... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

TRIAXYS Wave Buoy Supports Wave Energy

A TRIAXYS Directional wave buoy was recently deployed in 50 metre waters off the west coast of Norway. This buoy will support a major EU renewable energy company in their wave energy site assessments, with the eventual goal to provide marine energy plants along various locations off Norway's coast. This buoy replaces a competitor's buoy and was chosen based on its ability to survive extreme weather conditions and high latitudes while using little power. The buoy uses VHF radio to send hourly data to an onshore receiving station. Users can also monitor the buoy's position and health online... (read more)

2009-03-30 03:57:55

Harnessing Wave Energy

Harnessing wave energy efficiently has proved an elusive challenge to engineers. Stormy offshore weather conditions and saltwater corrosion are two important obstacles. They can cause damage to wave energy equipment, increasing maintenance and repair costs and making the electricity they produce more expensive than traditional sources of power. Now a new device developed by AWS Ocean Energy, a Scottish technology company, offers the hope of a simple, low-maintenance wave energy system that could tap this abundant, clean source of renewable energy more cheaply. Most marine energy devices float on the surface, generating power by moving with the waves, or... (read more)

2008-06-24 10:33:09

Wave & Tidal 2017

The event will showcase our sector’s innovation and the opportunity which wave and tidal offers the UK: bringing industry together with political decision-makers. Held across 24 hours it will contain a two-stream strong programme, an industry-led exhibition, and plenty of networking opportunities including a pre-event networking reception in the capital and the fourth RenewableUK Marine Energy Policy Forum. The event will bring together leading developers, OEM’s, financial and innovation funding experts, technical and safety professionals, regulators and government stakeholders representing the range of interests across the UK, and widerinternational marine energy supply chain. (read more)

2016-09-20 08:41:08

GlobWave Ocean Wave Data

Forecasting the state of the sea is important for shipping, offshore and coastal engineering, management of coastal zones and tourism. ESA's GlobWave project offers a one-stop shop for satellite data on ocean waves. Although ocean waves have been measured by satellites since the first radar altimeter was tested on NASA's Skylab space station in 1973, there has not been access to consolidated datasets on ocean waves for scientists and engineers needing this information for modelling and forecasting - until now. Satellite radar altimeters also provide information on a range of geophysical information such as sea-surface height, from which ocean circulation... (read more)

2011-06-17 11:27:07

Directional Wave Spectrum Measurement

LinkQuest's FlowQuest acoustic current profilers now have the WaveQuest Directional Wave Spectrum Measurement function which can be used to measure wave directions, periods and heights. This function is offered as an option with the FlowQuest 600 and 1000 acoustic current profilers. The WaveQuest directional wave spectrum measurement function generates complete wave parameters in both time and frequency domains including various kind of wave heights, wave frequencies and wave periods, such as Hmax, H3, H10, Fpeak, Tmean, Tmax, etc. The directional wave spectrum generated by the wave measurement provides a full wave spectrum. Each frequency in the wave spectrum has... (read more)

2008-02-14 10:50:34

Scottish Wave Buoys

New wave buoys, which will monitor wave activity around Scotland's coastline, were deployed this week on the east coast of Scotland. The project, which is part-funded by the Scottish Government, is part of the ongoing UK-wide development of the Storm Tide Forecasting Service (STFS) to extend the existing UK WaveNet network of buoys into Scottish waters. The type of wave buoys being deployed are ‘Directional Wave Riders' which measure wave height, period and direction, along with sea temperature. The information is transmitted via satellites direct to CEFAS (Centre of Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) who manage WaveNet and takes... (read more)

2008-08-21 04:04:43

Wave Measuring Advances

New initiatives from Dutch wave-buoy manufacturer Datawell bv include a novel, alternative power facility for the Datawell range of Waverider buoys. By combining solar panels with new ‘Boostcap’ capacitors and primary cells the company can now offer an all-environment, hybrid, long-lasting power solution for remotely deployed buoys. The second feature is a new software programme, ‘SeaSaw21’, which provides operational users such as port authorities or dredging companies with real-time, reactive digital displays of wave parameters, coupled with trend viewing and buoy-location monitoring. Also new is a solid-state wave-motion sensor, ‘MOSE’, ideal for integration with navigation buoys and similar third-party platforms. (read more)

2005-06-23 12:00:00

Wave Sensor for Echosounders

Innovation4C has presented Wavemapper, a heave sensor designed for single beam echosounders based on technology pioneered in space. Two years of development resulted in this sensor with space based algorithms. Wavemapper's MEMS technology offers a cost-effective miniaturised sensor platfom that has been succesfully tested on various vessels and under various port, harbour and coastal conditions.A dry unit or a wet version are available. The wavemapper product line requires no calibration, is according to the supplier small and portable, and claims to be cost-effective. (read more)

2006-09-21 12:00:00

Wave Buoys for PRIMaRE

The Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE) has ordered 8 Fugro Oceanor Seawatch Mini II buoys to form the core of an instrumentation network at the Wave Hub site off the South West of England. Wave Hub is a renewable energy project that aims to create the UK's first offshore facility for the demonstration and proving of arrays of wave energy generation devices (WECs). The Wave Hub facility will provide a well defined and monitored site with electrical connection to the onshore national grid. Four different proven commercial WEC manufacturers will each have a berth to connect... (read more)

2008-05-20 01:25:01