Operational Measurements of Hurricane Surface Waves

1
Operational Measurements of Hurricane Surface
Waves
Ivan PopStefanija popstefanija_at_prosensing.com ProS
ensing Inc. Amherst, MA 01002 Phone[phone]
2
Peter Black Peter.black_at_noaa.gov AOML Hurricane
Research Division NOAA Miami, FL

• Instrument Scanning Radar Altimeter
• Mapping of the ocean wave height (topography)
  throughout the inner core of hurricanes
• Measurements of the directional ocean wave
  spectra in hurricanes
• Who benefits
• Fulfilling operational requirement of the
  Tropical Prediction Center / National Hurricane
  Center
• Forecast of the wave height over the succeeding
  48 hours
• Reporting of extent of seas of at least 12 foot
  height from the center of a tropical cyclone
• Development of comprehensive Hurricane Weather
  Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model
• SRA data used for accurate modeling of the wave
  filed and surface roughness

• Baseline Technology
• Development of prototype SRA was funded through
  NASAs Applications Flight Experiments (AAFE)
  since 1973
• SRA prototype has flown in every hurricane season
  since 1998
• During the 30 year system development beside the
  SRA instrument NASA has developed a comprehensive
  analisys software
• Operational SRA Features, Advantages
• Phased array antenna, Operational Frequency,
  Solid state Transmitter, Digital Receiver
• Available for preliminary flights during the 2007
  hurricane season