Use of SAR wind measurements to support offshore wind farming

Kurzfassung

Active microwave radar satellites transmit and receive radar signals with wavelengths in the range of centimeters to one meter thus measuring the roughness of the sea surface, which enables the retrieval of wind and ocean wave fields. Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR) are capable of imaging synoptic wind fields with a coverage of up to 500 km x 500 km and a resolution of down to 100 m. As the radar signals penetrate clouds these sensors have all weather capability [1] and can acquire data as well during nighttime. Therefore, they are especially suited for sea surface observations in coastal regions and in severe weather conditions [2]. Since the launch of the European remote sensing satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2, the Canadian satellite RADARSAT-1 and the European environmental satellite ENVISAT, satellites have been acquiring SAR images over the oceans on a continuous basis since 1991. Their high resolution and large spatial coverage make them a valuable tool for measuring wind fields especially in coastal areas and for comparisons of wind fields around wind park sites. The derived information can support offshore wind farming in optimal siting and optimal design and help to estimate their effects on the environment