Is it possible ? and who could do it ?

[Sixpence]

If you knew the exact location of something floating in the middle of an ocean as big as the Atlantic , at a particular date and time , and you knew its size and most other details about it , is there a way of working out where this object would most likely be after a set period of time , taking into account things like known weather conditions and current flow

 

[BrendanS]

Yes, if you have the data available. Most oceanographic organisations could map it if you had a good enough reason to request the computer power required.

On a smaller scale, coastguards will do this for call outs in uk, as part of finding missing craft etc.

You can even do it yourself, as we used to do on night exercises in our club. Let loose a buoy at a set time in the dark, then go find it an hour later. Having done the calculations before hand.

 

[Sixpence]

ah , but could it be done in the middle of a body of water as big as the Atlantic or Pacific where tides don't really affect things , only currents and the weather , and say , up to a month later than it was put there , but still without using megga computer power or expense

 

[Cruiser2B]

In essence you're talking about running an EP for a month. And without actual observations of wind and sea, you'll be relying on calculated data. I think even the supercomputer would give you an ocean-sized PPA after a month. You could pitch two messages in bottles off the same pier - they might wash up on the same beach, or half a world apart. Nature's just not that reliable.

 

[BrendanS]

why did I bother, when all our posts were mutually deleted for a reason I don't understand? It was a lot of time wasted on research?

 

[sarabande]

Is this any use ?

http://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/where_to_find_data/

I have not dug around the site, but drifting buoy data is available.

Across the other side of the pond
http://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/where_to_find_data/
for weather data. Again, surface current data are available.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
why did I bother, when all our posts were mutually deleted for a reason I don't understand? It was a lot of time wasted on research?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow - that sounds familiar ....

 

[cliffordpope]

It would surely basically depend on what the "something floating" was? An iceberg would be influenced almost entirely by current, a piece of foam polystyrene entirely by wind.

It sounds very sinister. Are you worried about where the evidence of some misdeed will come ashore? Perhaps you should have attached the block of concrete more securely.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I refer you to the involuntary rubber duck experiment.

Jettisoned in bulk, brother and sister ducks have ended on entirely different beaches, on entirely different continents.

 

[FullCircle]

You would have to know the behaviour of the item in the water to wind and tide and wave height, wave motion.
Depends how accurate you want to be. If you want to be accurate, fit an Globaltrack style transponder and a one month capacity battery. Then follow it on Google Earth.

 

[onenyala]

How often do they update Google Earth ?

 

[FullCircle]

You can view things moving there almost in real time, although realistically 20 minutes. Globaltrack gives you speed and direction too.
Webcraft also is plotted on Google Earth.....

 

[tcm]

if the thing were as big as the Atlantic, it would be pretty easy to find, surely?

 

[ccscott49]

Welcome back!! Have a nice trip?

 

[Slow_boat]

Yes, it's very possible to find the general area it would be in then you could use google earth to find it.

But don't worry, any body dropped into mid Atlantic will be eaten by ocean beasties before it washes ashore.

 

[phanakapan]

Duncan, I think Trevera25 is trying to get info that might help to find S/Y Colros (see salvaging Colros thread) so unfortunately your remark might appear flippant- inadvertantly I'm sure.

 

[cliffordpope]

I'm sorry, I started that frivolous line of thought. Obviously I had no inkling of any particular motive behind the OP's enquiry - none was specified, it appeared to be entirely hypothetical, and as such inspired my macabre instinct that something was afoot.

But presumably in a real case of searching for survivors etc, all possible means and expertise are automatically directed to the problem, making full use of data on wind and current drift?

 

[Slow_boat]

Sorry, I had no idea.

 

[tcm]

yep. Loads of other trips since then tho, you're behind. Way behind.

 

[onenyala]

When I look at my boat on Google Earth it never moves always lying to the ebb ??