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5 

 specialized NOAA oceanographic and nautical charting mission 

 requirements. NOAA will continue to investigate the feasibility 

 of using surplus naval vessels to fulfill specific NOAA mission 

 needs . 



Over the Horizon Radar 



Another system for possible dual-use is the Over The Horizon 

 (OTH) Radar, built for the Air Force. This system uses an 

 ionospheric bounce of low-frequency radar to provide early 

 warning of aircraft attack. Its potential application to ocean 

 environmental studies arises because the returning radar signal 

 is modulated by ocean wave conditions. Although this "sea 

 clutter" is rejected when tracking aircraft, the information can 

 be recovered by special processing. 



Scientists from NOAA's Wave Propagation Laboratory have 

 demonstrated the ability to extract surface wave and wind 

 direction data over large ocean areas. They believe it will be 

 possible to extract wind speed and wave height as well. 

 Applications of such data include observations to improve 

 significantly synoptic scale modelling and weather forecasts in 

 data sparse ocean areas. And a dramatic test during Hurricane 

 Andrew last year demonstrated the ability to track these storms 

 continuously in conjunction with satellite data as they approach 

 the coast. 



