The Coastal Ocean Probing Experiment: further studies of air-sea interactions with remote and in-situ sensors

A comprehensive multi-sensor experiment on air-sea interactions was held off the coast of northern Oregon during September and October of 1995. The experiment, called the Coastal Ocean Probing Experiment (COPE), utilized the ETL two shore-based microwave radars (X-band and k _a-band), and a full complement of in-situ and other remote sensors. Sensors were mounted on the Scripps Institute FLIP to measure properties of the air-sea interface including wind, wind stress, air/sea temperatures, wave characteristics, and profiles of current, temperature, and density. Scatterometers at K_u-band and X-band, a laser wave slope device, and microwave and IR radiometers were also operated from FLIP. Other active and passive remote sensors were deployed from a blimp, and a small complement of in-situ and atmospheric sensors were operated from a 65 ft boat. A moored array consisting of thermistor chains and an inverted echo sounder was also operated within view of the radars. Additionally, a Doppler lidar was operated near the shore to measure winds within a few meters of the ocean surface and a Coastal Ocean Dynamics Radar (CODAR) system was used to monitor larger scale ocean currents in the area. The northern coast of Oregon was selected for its wide variety of atmospheric and oceanic conditions and particularly for the frequency and intensity of tidally-forced internal waves (IW). The proximity of a 744 m-elevation radar site within 4 km of the shoreline satisfied another important observational requirement. Preliminary results of radar observations are stressed, particularly regarding observations of the naturally-occurring internal wave fields. The large amount of high-quality, in-situ atmospheric and oceanic measurements available during the experiment will be useful in helping to interpret the various polarimetric, Doppler, delta-k, and multi-wavelength radar data obtained during COPE