Improving CODAR SeaSonde Wave Measurements

High Frequency (HF) Radar functions not only as a way to measure currents, but significant wave height, wave period and wave direction as well. Being a secondary product from CODAR Ocean Sensors' SeaSonde, wave current and direction being the primary, there is much room for wave height measurements improvement. The opportunity to validate existing and future wave models is also a factor because much of an oceanographer's decision making comes from interpreting these models. Spatial validation of the wave model from additional wave measurement tools will help strengthen new and existing tools. CODAR has also changed and improved how their software calculates wave measurements and those improvements significantly and helped wave period. For the research into what causes certain gaps or anomalies in the data, several wave-inducing factors were examined. These examined factors include wind direction and speed. Buoy wave measurements were also analyzed on whether or not two peak readings in spectral density graphs from Buoy 44065 had an effect on wave measurements. The most promising of the research lies on the noise environment and noise floor of HF radar sites. We have validated CODAR's wave height measurement techniques by comparing them to wave factors and we have narrowed down the possible causes of wave height discrepancies between buoy and CODAR data.