154…
The Last Resource
The major obstacle to ocean forecasting is the need for informa—
tion from an area well beyond the scope of conventional surface
vessels. Of course, weather and commercial ships supply consider—
able detail on marine meterological conditions. British weather ships,
for example, make hourly observations at the surface and slightly
less frequent surveys of the upper atmosphere. Their information,
coded and radioed direct to the Central Forecasting Ofce at
Bracknell in Berkshire, is used along with that from other sources
such as ground—based stations, to construct a weather map of both
surface and upper—air conditions. On the basis of this synoptic map,
weather forecasts are issued to shipping, aviation and, of course, the
general public. Within its limits, this system works very well; how—
ever, on an international scale large tracts of ocean well away from
customary shipping lanes can go unobserved. And the question
arises, how can over 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface be kept under
constant meteorological surveillance?
A few years ago the answer to such a question would have been
one of despair. Then, in March 1966, an American weather satellite
Essa 2 went into operation, regularly transmitting pictures of the
weather over thousands of square miles, from a height of 750 miles
above the Earth’s surface, to centres like the British Meteorological
Ofce. Depending on the orbit, most or all of the Earth’s surface
can be monitored by a satellite. Using information from Essa 2, the
British Antarctic Survey route their vessels to avoid southern polar
pack ice, for example. However, some of the information essential
in the formulation of weather and related forecasts, such as waves
and swell, must be collected at ocean level. Such extensive observa—
tion of the oceans is probably only feasible using large arrays of
automatic buoys. Ocean buoys such as the Long Range Tele—
metering Buoy, developed by the Convair Division of General
Dynamics in the United States, probably indicate the shape of
things to come. The discus—shaped buoy, 40 feet in diameter, 7 feet
thick and topped by a 40—foot aerial, has the ability to weather
60—foot waves, ro—knot currents and 150—knot winds—all while
oating on the surface and anchored in depths exceeding 20,000
feet. The buoy can store a year’s data in a special memory unit, but
a temporary memory enables the buoy to be interrogated by radio
signals from over thousands of miles every few hours.
With satellites and arrays of electronically equipped buoys, it is
not difcult to envisage a global coverage of ocean conditions——
The Last Resource
The major obstacle to ocean forecasting is the need for informa—
tion from an area well beyond the scope of conventional surface
vessels. Of course, weather and commercial ships supply consider—
able detail on marine meterological conditions. British weather ships,
for example, make hourly observations at the surface and slightly
less frequent surveys of the upper atmosphere. Their information,
coded and radioed direct to the Central Forecasting Ofce at
Bracknell in Berkshire, is used along with that from other sources
such as ground—based stations, to construct a weather map of both
surface and upper—air conditions. On the basis of this synoptic map,
weather forecasts are issued to shipping, aviation and, of course, the
general public. Within its limits, this system works very well; how—
ever, on an international scale large tracts of ocean well away from
customary shipping lanes can go unobserved. And the question
arises, how can over 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface be kept under
constant meteorological surveillance?
A few years ago the answer to such a question would have been
one of despair. Then, in March 1966, an American weather satellite
Essa 2 went into operation, regularly transmitting pictures of the
weather over thousands of square miles, from a height of 750 miles
above the Earth’s surface, to centres like the British Meteorological
Ofce. Depending on the orbit, most or all of the Earth’s surface
can be monitored by a satellite. Using information from Essa 2, the
British Antarctic Survey route their vessels to avoid southern polar
pack ice, for example. However, some of the information essential
in the formulation of weather and related forecasts, such as waves
and swell, must be collected at ocean level. Such extensive observa—
tion of the oceans is probably only feasible using large arrays of
automatic buoys. Ocean buoys such as the Long Range Tele—
metering Buoy, developed by the Convair Division of General
Dynamics in the United States, probably indicate the shape of
things to come. The discus—shaped buoy, 40 feet in diameter, 7 feet
thick and topped by a 40—foot aerial, has the ability to weather
60—foot waves, ro—knot currents and 150—knot winds—all while
oating on the surface and anchored in depths exceeding 20,000
feet. The buoy can store a year’s data in a special memory unit, but
a temporary memory enables the buoy to be interrogated by radio
signals from over thousands of miles every few hours.
With satellites and arrays of electronically equipped buoys, it is
not difcult to envisage a global coverage of ocean conditions——