A Practical Method for the Prediction of the Surface Currents of the Ocean

¹ The writer wishes to thank Dr C. O’D. Iselin for reading this paper and suggesting several important improvements.

The opinions expressed in this paper are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hydrographic Office or U.S. Navy.

² I. Normal: basic, as “a basic condition”, exclusive of superimposed variables- not an average.

Abstract

A method is advanced for the prediction of surface currents based on the stability of computed dynamic currents. Wherever the latter are known and simultaneously the measured (geomagnetic) current and local wind direction, speed, and duration are known, the vector difference between the measured and the computed currents is assumed to be the portion of the current induced by the wind. The hypothesis is demonstrated empirically by a correlation of the above factors based on data obtained during a recent oceanographic survey. The predicted surface current vector is shown to be the resultant between a forecast wind-current and a permanent dynamic current. A new type of survey is proposed to make feasible the complete correlation of these factors.

Notes

¹ The writer wishes to thank Dr C. O’D. Iselin for reading this paper and suggesting several important improvements.

The opinions expressed in this paper are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hydrographic Office or U.S. Navy.

² I. Normal: basic, as “a basic condition”, exclusive of superimposed variables- not an average.