HF radar in French Mediterranean Sea: an element of MOOSE Mediterranean Ocean Observing System on Environment

In the framework of the French MOOSE project (Mediterranean Ocean Observing System on Environment), the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography is operating HF radars on the North Western Mediterranean coast. The surface circulation in this region is characterized by a large-scale flow (Northern Current) and by a broad range of other scales of variability induced by meteorological and tidal forcing. The ability of HF radars is to provide synoptic observation as sea surface current map every hour and over long distances. One site is already operational nearby Toulon for more than two years and a second one is in deployment around Nice. This paper gives an overview of the radars network, of the surface current mapping facility offered by the system, and of recent observation results and applications.