Review of the Texas shelf currents using high frequency radar surface currents data

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2026

Abstract

High frequency radars (HFR) from five Texas shelf stations (RLVR, SSDE, MBNP, ANWR, PINS) monitor inner-, mid-, and outer-shelf circulation. For the reanalysis of the HFR data, we applied IOOS QA/QC procedures and adopted the optimal interpolation (OI) technique to generate surface current vectors. Validation of HFR velocity vectors against Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS) currents and self-locating datum marker buoy (SLDMB) drifters confirms the fidelity of the HFR dataset following the results of the statistical tests employed. This validation revealed the OI parameters for estimating HFR vectors with improved spatial resolution and accuracy. The results indicate that the OI yields reliable Lagrangian (drifters) and Eulerian (buoys) velocities and, most importantly, captures the general circulatory patterns on the Texas Shelf. Furthermore, the patterns from the self organizing map (SOM) not only showed the two dominant circulatory patterns on Texas Shelf but also revealed a dominant transitional pattern. Based on the Hovmoller and estimates of surface transports, the study indicates that the net surface transport on the Texas Shelf vary simultaneously with the seasonal wind variability.

Publication Title

Ocean Dynamics

Volume

76

Issue

5

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