Tracking Icebergs with the Argos satellites
In 1912, the "unsinkable" British luxury liner Titanic slurped its way down toward Davy Jones's locker when it suddenly collided with a large Arctic iceberg. That incident received worldwide publicity, but actually it represented only one of many tragic encounters between big chunks of hazardous sea ice and maritime vessels.
Each year 10,000 icebergs are created in the Northern Hemisphere. About 5000 of them reach the open ocean, and, on average, 300 pass below 48 degrees north latitude where they become a major hazard to North Atlantic shipping. During the iceberg season, which lasts about 5 months, shipping routes are lengthened as much as 30 percent so large vessels can avoid the worst concentrations of floating ice. Gangling oil platforms in northern waters are also at hazard, and, on occasion, they must be abandoned when icebergs move into their vicinity.
Of course, no region in the North Atlantic is entirely free from iceberg hazards. Consequently, Arctic icebergs are carefully tracked by the International Ice Patrol, an organization that is managed by the U.S. Coast Guard, but financed by various maritime nations operating in the North Atlantic. The International Ice Patrol sends ships and airplanes into the North Atlantic to locate as many icebergs as possible. Targets of opportunity are also reported by commercial and military vessels. Six radio stations broadcast iceberg warnings twice per day so ships in the area can safely adjust their movements.
So far, the Argos system has been used to track at least a dozen icebergs bobbing along in the chilly waters of the North Atlantic. In one test (Fig. 3.3), an 80 lb Argos transmitter was parachuted onto the surface of a flat Arctic iceberg. The transmitter was then used to relay crude position coordinates to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineers at Wallops Island, Virginia. Over a 3 month interval the iceberg traveled along an ambling, erratic trajectory across 200 mi of open ocean. On the average, it moved less than 5 mi/day, well below walking speed. About 20 percent of the time, the iceberg was essentially stationary because it was either permanently or intermittently grounded.
DIRECTV Vs Dish Network|
Dish Network's America’s "Everything" Pak Vs Directv's
Total Choice Premier|
Dish Network's America’s Top 180 Vs Directv's
TOTAL CHOICE PLUS|Dish Network's America’s Top 120 Vs Directv's
TOTAL CHOICE|Sports Packages Comparison|
International Packages Comparison|
Dish Network's Low Price Packages($31.99/mo)|
Satellite TV Technical Information|
Satellite TV Parts|
Satellite TV Installation|
Satellite Internet|
Cable TV |
Plasma TV|
Digital TV|
LCD TV|
Broadband Internet|
Computer|
Satellite Communication|
History of Satellite|
Satellite System|
Satellite System Architecture|
Orbit|
Throughput|
Tolerable Delay|
Connectivity|
Physical Environment|
Satellite Access|
Satellite Applications|
Mobile Satellite System|
Satellite Coverage|
Spacecraft|
Navigation|
GPS|
GPS Errors|
Next Generation of Satellites|
Glonass|
Galileo|
Direct Satellite Sound Broadcast|
VSAT|
Broadband|
K-band|
Little-LEO Systems|
ATM Technology|
Glossary|
Satellite Magazines|
Space Debris|
Cell Phones|
Safety in Cell Phones|
Weather Satellites|
Tracking Icebergs with the Argos satellites|
Frequency for Satellite Communications|
Cable TV Set Up|
Cable TV Channel Limitations|
Cable TV Installation|
Antenna Installation|
Dish Antenna Alignment|
Fine Tuning|
Cable Troubleshooting|
HDTV|
3-D TV|
Web Directory
|
