There is wealth beneath the waves.
Surf’s up: new technology to forecast waves and currents
New research into a laptop-based software system capable of interpreting near shore waves from radar, and providing several-day wave and current forecasts, could soon be making our beaches safer and assisting the Royal Australian Navy with amphibious landings. (5:27)
- 23 September 2009
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With weather dynamics playing such a role in the formation of surface waves, predicting size and frequency can be difficult, particularly as the majority of surface waves have been generated by the wind blowing over the ocean, sometimes thousands of kilometres away.
CSIRO’s Wealth from Oceans Flagship is working with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Royal Australian Navy on a $A33 million project called BLUElink. To extend BLUElink’s ocean forecasting system, CSIRO is developing this operational surface-wave prediction system to provide forecasts for the Australian coastal region.
In this podcast, Dr Graham Symonds from CSIRO’s Wealth from Oceans Flagship explains the system and the safety benefits it will bring, not only to beachgoers, but the Royal Australian Navy.
CSIRO initiated the National Research Flagships to provide science-based solutions in response to Australia’s major research challenges and opportunities. The 10 Flagships form multidisciplinary teams with industry and the research community to deliver impact and benefits for Australia.
Read more about BLUElink>: reliable ocean forecasting.
