WOCE Heavy Weather Drifter Tests

世界海洋环流实验（WOCE）将要求 海洋表面流的长期测量， 在不同的海洋条件下， 几个低成本 已经开发了漂移器，并成功地部署在 热带地区，它们的水跟随特性很好 明白 然而，它们还没有被使用或测试， 风和天气条件更好的高纬度地区 严重。 四个漂移器将被修改为具有不同的 阻力面积比，并配备了流速计。 他们 将在1989年底部署两周， 北太平洋现有的气象浮标。 康复后， 通过漂流物的水流数据将被 分析为风速和阻力面积的函数。 十六 一九八九年十月，当局会调派其他相同的漂流艇， 将以三个月为间隔， 恶劣的冬季天气，以评估磨损和生存能力。 水团追踪的数据， 现有的热带校准研究将提供一个 在整个范围内的漂移的性能评估 海洋环流实验场预计的风和海流变量 程序. 生存性和磨损观察结果将允许 改进机械部件的设计， 长期暴露在海洋上层环境中， 高纬度地区。 将建造大量的漂流器 并在WOCE现场项目中部署。 本研究 选择有效的漂流者至关重要。 这是一个 斯克里普斯海洋学研究所 和加拿大海洋科学研究所。

The World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) will require measurements of ocean surface currents over long periods of time and in different ocean conditions. Several low cost drifters have been developed and successively deployed in the tropics where their water following characteristics are well understood. However they have not yet been used or tested in high latitudes where wind and weather conditions are more severe. Four drifters will be modified to have different drag area ratios and outfitted with current meters. They will be deployed for two-week periods in late 1989 near existing weather buoys in the North Pacific. After recovery, data from the flow of water past the drifters will be analyzed as a function of wind speed and drag area. Sixteen other identical drifters will be deployed in October 1989 and groups will be recovered in three-month intervals through rough winter weather to assess wear and survivability. The data on water-mass tracking, when taken with data from existing tropical calibration studies will provide an assessment of the drifters' performance across the range of wind and current variables anticipated in WOCE field programs. The survivability and wear observations will allow improvements in design of mechanical components to withstand prolonged exposure to upper ocean environments in the mid- and high latitudes. A large number of drifters will be built and deployed during WOCE field programs. This study is essential to the selection of effective drifters. It is a joint project between the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Canada.