High Frequency (HF) Radars
The High Frequency (HF) coastal radar system on the Basque coast was installed in 2009 and has been operating without major interruptions since then. HF radars are a technology that consists of sending radio signals from the coast and then analysing the signal reflected by the sea surface. The signal returning to the receiving antenna is produced by diffuse reflection caused by waves and currents. With this received signal and through a series of analyses, hourly maps of ocean currents can be calculated. To obtain these current maps, it is necessary to have at least two radar stations, which in the case of the Basque Country network are located at the Matxitxako and Higer capes.
The Basque Country system covers an area of about 10,000 km2 and the hourly current maps generated contain total velocity vectors in a rectangular grid of 5 km resolution. The data provided by this system are of great value for understanding the surface circulation of the ocean, which in the coastal zone is particularly complex and difficult to predict accurately. They represent a key opportunity for the proper monitoring and integrated management of our coast, offering tools for better control and prediction of the key factors in the dispersion/retention of floating objects (e.g. marine litter, organisms, etc.) as well as microplastics, passive tracers such as pollutants, etc.
