Indian Coastal Ocean Radar Network

As a part of the Indian Ocean Observation Network, National Institute of Ocean Technology operates and maintains a network of high frequency radar (HFR) systems along the Indian coast, known as Indian coastal ocean radar network (ICORN). It is a land-based remote sensing system capable of measuring surface currents as far as 200 km from the coast and waves, and wind direction nearly 100 km offshore. The HFR systems utilize electromagnetic waves in the 3-45 MHz frequency band and use Bragg scattering principle to deduce the oceanographic parameters. ICORN currently operates and maintains five pairs (10 sites) of long-range systems (∼5 MHz) which covers four states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These systems operate at a spatial resolution of 6 km and temporal resolution of one hour. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services at Hyderabad disseminates this data for scientific and maritime operations. The potential of HFR systems is enormous and can be employed in various facets of operational oceanography and applied research.