Boise State alumnus Tim Ronan returned to Boise with a wealth of knowledge and education for one singular mission.
"We're on a quest for the perfect wave," Ronan said.
A Boise native, Ronan went on to study at the University of North Carolina with a Masters degree in geophysics. With his newly acquired knowledge, he returned Boise River Park with tools used for geophysics. By collecting data, he hopes to automatically detect wave conditions and improve them for kayakers and surfers alike.
"The wave is like a pulse through the human body, and we're trying to quantify it based on how the wave is behaving," Ronan pointed out.
By studying the acoustic signature, he can determine the pulse of the wave and modify the controls that sculpt how the wave functions.
Ronan worked today with Paul Primus, Wave Shaper for the City of Boise. Depending on how the water conditions are, Primus will modify the machinery beneath the wave to create the best ride for recreationist.
With Ronan's geophysics background, the wave controls could one day become more automated and automatically adjust to changing river volume from either upstream use or weather conditions.
