E-mailed Family Today, Thanks Inmarsat!

Satellites Make Communication Easy

On the boat, communication is crucial. Of course the crew can easily talk to each other, but when we have to communicate information to someone who isn’t on the boat, that’s where important communication technology comes in. The official satellite technology partner of the Volvo Ocean Race is Inmarsat. Inmarsat is responsible for a lot of things. The crew uses their communication centre for transferring weather data, live video feed, contacting emergency services, and even e-mailing their loved ones. On board, there is a media centre where we can use laptops to send data. This is the main post of the media crew member on board Camper. Inmarsat is introducing many innovations into the race every year. The sailors in this year’s race will be the first with the red button safety service. This button is a quick way for the crew to contact the nearest marine rescue centres in case of disaster. Past races didn’t have this, or many other features that are now available. The FleetBroadband 500 terminal on board every ship this year, which provides high speed communication and data transfer, is another example. They even have the FleetBroadband 150 so that we can make voice calls.

This technology has brought in a sense of safety and comfort that is important to us. Getting too stressed, homesick or bored can affect how we all perform. When describing their services, Inmarsat says “No matter how far you sail from shore, you can pick up the phone, send an email or browse the internet - just as you would at home or in the office". That doesn't even begin to describe how useful this technology is aboard Camper, so we thought we'd give a big thank you to Inmarsat, for making our trip safe and interesting!

Some Information on our Tech!

Camper's GPS Troubles

After a near GPS failure, I've really come to appreciate the value of our advanced GPS. Knowing the location of each boat is important for safety purposes, as well as tracking the race. For this reason, each boat in the Volvo Ocean Race is equipped with the best technology for global positioning. Inmarsat is the leader in marine GPS technology, so naturally they are the official GPS sponsorl. The Inmarsat fleet has many different types of satellites in orbit. The Inmarsat-2s were launched as early as 1990. Now, the Inmarsat-5s are under construction with the help of Boeing, and will be launched in 2013-2014.

 
In order to know how a satellite works, it’s important to know what a satellite is. A satellite is an object revolving around a mass in space. In this case, satellite is referring to the devices in Earth’s orbit used to receive and transmit signals. This is the basic idea behind the GPS system of Camper and the other Volvo Ocean Race boats. The boat (called the ‘uplink station’) sends data to a satellite which contains their location. The satellite sends back this data over a wide span of the planet (called the satellite’s ‘footprint’) which will reach other satellite stations on Earth (downlink stations). The accuracy of the position depends on the strength of the signal, and so the satellite’s footprint is limited to an area of only useful signal strength. Using this technology, the Race Tracker can constantly track the position of each boat.

Mirages in the Ocean?

Mirages in the Ocean? 

Last night after dinner the crew suffered a bit of an embarrassing setback. We came up onto the deck and saw an overturned sailing ship a few miles up ahead. The whole crew jumped into action because we knew someone's life could be on the line! As we made our way to this unknown ship, one of the crew members alerted us that there was a chance this ship was Telefonica, which had been sailing incredibly close to us all day. Rushing to aid our fellow racers, we never noticed that we weren't getting any closer to this overturned boat! It took us a while to realize we were following a mirage, a Fata Morgana mirage of a different ship, to be exact.

Mirages: The original trolls.

We fell for the oldest trick in the book. Mirages have been tricking sailors for centuries. Ever heard of the legend of the Flying Dutchman? Before mirages became a well-known phenomenon, legends about a ghost ship in the sky were actually very common. 


Slightly embarrassed, the crew decided to look up mirages at our media centre to make sure this kind of setback never occurred again. There was a lot of confusing information, but we gained some understanding that will definitely help our sailing in the future. You see, mirages are a result of refraction, or the bending of light (light bends by the way). Combine that with a gradient of different air temperatures, and you have a mirage! Yesterday was a hot day, perfect for a Fata Morgana mirage. Here's how a mirage works:

Extremely technical mirage diagram

As you can see, a mirage easily explains the Flying Dutchman myth, as well as our panic last night. Fata Morganas are a type of superior mirage, the type of mirage that occurs when cold air lies beneath warm air, in what is called a temperature inversion. This causes light rays to bend toward the colder air, which makes the object appear elevated and inverted. This happens because our brains process the information as if the light rays were straight, when in fact they have bent downward. So, fellow racers and sailing enthusiasts, next time you see an upside-down boat, go help! But check to make sure it isn't floating in the sky, too.

References:

Heidorn, K.. "The Superior Mirage: Seeing Beyond." Weather doctor. N.p., 1999. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/supmrge.htm>.


Young, A.. "An Introduction to Mirages." An introduction to mirages. N.p., 2011. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/GF/mirages/mirintro.html>.


6. Nave, R.. "Refraction of light." Hyperphysics. Hyperphysics, 2012. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html>.

Ocean Currents

There may another explanation for the unusual weather for the regions we are passing through, which would be the disruption of ocean currents.

We have already discussed the need for energy transfer. The transfer of energy throughout the oceans occurs in the cycle of thermohaline circulation (Adam-Carr, 8.8).

The causes and drive behind this circulation process are the distinctions in the density of seawater – distinctions caused by differences in temperature and salinity. Much like an immense conveyor belt, this process transports warm water on the surface of the sea from the southern hemisphere to a gradual path toward the North Pole (“Ocean Circulation”). As the water travels, it acquires greater amounts of salt and becomes denser (Adam-Carr, 8.8). Then, somewhere in between Greenland and Norway, the water’s temperature drops, the water sinks into the depths of the sea, and commences a flow back to the southern hemisphere (Adam-Carr, 8.8). Warm surface water around the Equator then again travels toward the poles to replace it (“Ocean Circulation”).

Thermohaline circulation is comprised of every ocean current driven by variances in temperature and salinity of the seawater. Ocean currents strongly affect the climates of the land in near proximity, as warm ocean currents heat the overlying air and cold ocean currents cool the overlying air (Adam-Carr, 8.8).

This movement of circulation brings a massive amount of heat northward, and has an essential factor in upholding and sustaining the climate in its current, regular state.

                                                                                   

Scientists have proposed that climate change processes could very well be leading to a wane in this transfer of energy throughout the oceans. Higher temperatures driven by global warming could likely result in additional fresh water in the northern North Atlantic. This would be arrived at through the increase of precipitation and the melting of sea ice in close proximity, mountain glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet (“Ocean Circulation”). This substantial entry of fresh water could diminish the salinity and density on the surface, resulting in the thermohaline circulation shutting down. In the event of the thermohaline circulation shutting down, the southern hemisphere would warm up and the northern hemisphere would turn colder.

An abundance of regions would undergo an abrupt, noteworthy shift in their climates, which one would have difficulty in adjusting to. Camper’s crew has already experienced difficulty in adjusting.

Works Cited

"Ocean Circulation." Center for Ocean Solutions. Center for Ocean Solutions, n.d. Web. 27 May 2012.

Adam-Carr, Christine. "8.8: Energy Transfer within the Climate System: Air and Ocean Circulation." Science Perspectives 10. Toronto: Nelson Education, 2010. Print.

Air Currents

The sailors have noticed unusual weather for the regions they are travelling through on their race across the Atlantic, which may be caused by the disruption of air currents.

Water and land soak up energy from the Sun at speeds that vary from each other, thus, the distribution of heat on Earth is uneven at first. Therefore, it is required for the thermal energy to be circulated in order to mediate the variations in temperature on our planet. The transfer of energy throughout Earth’s atmosphere occurs in a natural process named the convection current. This is when tropical waters of a warm temperature release moisture into the air overhead through evaporation. This air becomes less and less dense while it is being warmed until it is routed north or south (this depends on the hemisphere). As the air, now less dense, rises, it also becomes cooler. Then, at approximately 30 degrees North or South, the air, now cooler, travels downwards towards the surface and gradually moves towards the equator, its original location (Adam-Carr, 8.8).  These air currents originating from the equator are called the trade winds.

Presently, as greater concentrations of greenhouse gases radiate greater amounts of energy back to the surface of the earth in a process called global warming, the patterns of energy transfer within the air are changing (Adam-Carr, 8.8). This is resulting in regional climate alterations.

Trade winds that sweep around half the globe have already been shown to be waning as global warming interrupts the regular circulation of energy in the atmosphere. The deterioration of air currents is one of the steadiest predictions of climate change models. Scientists fear that, along with air currents weakening, the predictability of weather patterns will lessen. Extreme regional climate changes are currently coming into effect globally, like we have witnessed in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Works Cited

Adam-Carr, Christine. "8.8: Energy Transfer within the Climate System: Air and Ocean Circulation." Science Perspectives 10. Toronto: Nelson Education, 2010. Print.

Storm Intensity

During the last several days, Tropical Storm Alberto has been advancing gradually in the direction of east-north-east, in close proximity to Camper’s route along the Atlantic Ocean from Miami to Lisbon. The crew onboard have been tracking the Atlantic hurricane’s development and are taken aback by the atypical intensity of the storm.

According to my expertise and background on climatology:

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows it is probable that “future tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense, with larger peak wind speeds and more heavy precipitation associated with ongoing sea surface temperature increases”. The studies performed indicate that climate change is altering the severity, rate of occurrence, and routes of tropical storms ("Storm Intensity."). This all was conjectured after noticing a global pattern of a rise in the severity of strong storm events in the last few decades.

Why is this, you may ask?

This can all be explained through the process of ocean warming.

The ocean is a natural and constant buffer for the atmosphere, meaning that its concentrations of carbon dioxide and heat are in equilibrium with the concentrations in the atmosphere. Therefore, when the amount of either heat or carbon dioxide rises in the atmosphere, they will also naturally increase in the ocean (Herr and Galland). These increases of heat and carbon dioxide modify the ocean’s physical and chemical makeup and shape a number of processes in the ocean – for instance, storms.

There are several consequences to ocean warming that affect storm intensity, the first of which is sea level rise:

As water heats up, its particles expand, causing the ocean surface to rise. Presently, the majority of the ocean’s surplus heat is located in a layer that is merely several hundred meters in depth. Over a period of time, this heat will disperse to deeper areas of the ocean. This causes greater expansion of the water and thus, prompts additional alterations in sea level. Changes this substantial will result in storms and floods to be of greater danger and have a more frequent occurrence (Herr and Galland).

The second consequence: heat is energy. While tropical cyclones are being formed, warmer ocean temperatures will directly heighten their energy and thus, their potential for destruction. Therefore, with increasing surface temperatures in the tropical ocean, it is probably this will result in (1) lengthier storm seasons, and (2) a greater frequency of storms. This intensification makes people, marine and coastal ecosystems, and our Volvo Ocean Race boat prone to risk.

Works Cited

"Storm Intensity." Center for Ocean Solutions. Web. 27 May 2012. 

Herr, Dorothée, and Grantly R. Galland. "The Ocean and Climate Change." IUCN.      Web.

Use of Acids and Bases on the Boat

A few days into Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, the crew members have been rearranging the items on the ship to best suit the situation. It's been a hassle having to stack all the excess sails, equipment, freeze-dried food supplies and clothing, move them to the bow (front), back to the stern (rear) again and again. 

I had hauled around several large, fluid-filled containers before I stopped to examine their contents. About half of them were common cleaning agents for the boat. Most were either acidic or basic in nature, as acids are corrosive and bases, once they are far up the pH scale, are corrosive as well. For example, phosphoric acid was used to remove rust from iron and steel surfaces by converting iron oxide to ferric (iron III) phosphate: Fe₂ O₃ + 2H₃PO₄ → 2FePO₄ + 3H₂O. The residue material can be scrubbed off to reveal a clean surface, or kept to provide further protection from corrosion. Sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda, is a base that, when added to water, can be used to clean machinery equipment and storage tanks. The chemical is effective at removing most viruses, bacteria, and other toxins in the water. Sodium hydroxide is used to clean the boat because it costs little, and is easily removed and disposed of after use.

The remaining half of the containers were lubricating fluids used for the Camper’s internal combustion engines. In the engine, lubricant oils and cools the power transmission components to reduce friction and prevent overheating. It removes the impurities from the engine fluids, neutralizes potentially explosive byproducts of combustion, and prevents rust and other forms of corrosion.  A variety of base oils and additives are also included in the lubricants to tailor them to specific applications (e.g. can operate in wet conditions, resist thermal decomposition). It is important that the right lubricating fluid is chosen, as there are many additional expenses if the fluid needs to be replaced. Waiting for the old fluid to drain out and for the new fluid to be added can waste precious time. Using the wrong fluid would also mean increased corrosion of the engine.

Acids, on the other hand, are used in cooling fluids and antifreeze in order to maintain machinery. Antifreeze is a liquid solution that lowers the freezing point of whatever mixture it is added in, acting as a de-icing agent. Properties of an ideal antifreeze include excellent solubility, a high boiling point (to handle high temperatures inside the engine), excellent heat transfer properties, moderate viscosity, and low cost. Ethylene glycol is the most commonly used antifreeze because of its  low instability and water solubility. Most antifreeze liquids also include chemicals that prevent corrosion, to protect the metal surfaces inside the engine. However, once the antifreeze begins to decompose and breakdown, or the substances that prevent corrosion are depleted, the fluids should be replaced. 

References

Reignbough Chase. Iron (III) Phosphate. 2007. Photograph. Ford Muscle Forums. Web. 6 May 2012. <http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll66/Reignbough_Chase/dswofgr.jpg>.

Anglin, Donald. "Engine Lubrication." Access Science. McGraw Hill Companies, 2008. Web. 25 April 2012. <http://www.accessscience.com/content.aspx?searchStr=engine lubricant&id=233400>.

Danny Catucci. Engine Flush. 2010. Graphic. Redwood General Tire Store, Redwood City. Web. 5 May 2012. <http://www.redwoodgeneral.com/img/photos/engine-flush.gif>.

Butterfield, Sharon. "How Does Antifreeze Work." Wise Geek. Conjecture Corporation, n.d. Web. 12 April 2012. <http://www.wisegeek.com/how-does-antifreeze-work.htm>.

George, Kathleen. "Antifreeze Mixture." Access Science. McGraw Hill Companies, 2008. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.accessscience.com/content/Antifreeze mixture/040400>.

Barbara Terry. Cooling System. 2008. Graphic. Family Car Parts. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.familycar.com/Classroom/Images/Cooling-System.gif>.