Estudio de la dinámica oceánica superficial en el Golfo de Bizkaia utilizando la tecnología radar HF= Study of the surface ocean dynamics in the Bay os Biscay, using HF radar technology

Abstract

The first step of this PhD Thesis, has been to assess the performances of the Basque High Frequency (HF) radar system and its potential for operational calculation of trajectories at sea. Secondly, different methodologies have successfully been applied to HF radar data (e.g. EOF, KMA) to extract surface current patterns and to study the different spatio-temporal scales. The results reveal the continuity of the along shelf/slope surface circulation in the SE corner of the Bay of Biscay, with east-west (north-south) surface circulation in front of the Spanish (French) coast, with a marked seasonality, in accordance to the previous observations. Most of the surface current patterns observed are clearly related to specific wind patterns, recurrent in the study area. However, there is high variability in terms of surface current spatial patterns and of wind�current interactions. Several current patterns not as clearly related with specific wind conditions have also been identified.