Hydrodynamics of the Alderney Race: HF Radar Wave Measurements
Abstract
In this contribution we present the first wave measurements collected with a HF radar installed at the north-west coast of France to overlook a promising area for tidal energy extraction. The radar measurements are aimed to help understanding the oceanographic conditions at the site, aid the validation and improvement of numerical models, and ultimately the calculation of tidal stream energy. The results show good agreement when compared against ADCP measurements, especially when the current speed is below 1 m.s-1. The latter appears to have a clear influence not only on the quality of the radar’s wave results, but also on their spatial extent.