A SUSPENDED-DROP CURRENT METER

Abstract

A simple and direct method for measuring ocean currents is given by providing an identifiable point in the water and determining its displacement in a known time interval. The speed is obtained by dividing the displacement by the time, and the direction of the velocity is the direction of the displacement. The method is capable of measuring very small velocities and also rather large ones. An identifiable point can be provided by a small drop of colored liquid having approximately the same density as sea water but being immiscible with it. Positions can be obtained from photographs of the drop. Knowledge of the time intervals between photographs can be provided by a motor-driven timer or by a watch. A magnetic compass in the field of view of the camera that photographs the drop can provide the direction. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0277014

Entities

People

  • E.m. Thorndike

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cameras
  • Displacement
  • Drops
  • Intervals
  • Liquids
  • Ocean Currents
  • Oceans
  • Optical Equipment
  • Photographic Equipment
  • Photographs
  • Photography
  • Sea Water
  • Time Intervals
  • Water

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Geodesy