Track of GPS-Drifters from HEINCKE cruise HE496

The drifters were deployed within the German Bight of the North Sea from the FS Heincke during cruise HE 496, which was performed between 14. and 21. September 2017. The utilized drifters obtain their position via the Global Positioning System (GPS) and communicated their locations to the lab via Iridium (a global full ocean coverage bidirectional satellite communication network). Within the experiment, 10 Albatros drifters MD03i were used. The MD03i is a cylinder shaped drifter, which has a diameter of 0.1 m and a length of 0.32 m, where only approx. 0.08 m are above the water surface when deployed. To enhance the drifters drag a sail was attached 1.0 m below the sea surface. The sails were made of two circular black plastic parts (0.35 m diameter) joined perpendicularly in the center. Due to the very small area above the water surface the drifter path represents the current in the upper meter of the water column.

本研究使用的漂流浮标于2017年9月14日至21日期间，搭载FS Heincke号科考船执行HE 496航次，在北海德国湾海域完成部署。本次实验所用的漂流浮标通过全球定位系统（Global Positioning System，GPS）获取位置信息，并通过铱星（Iridium，全球全海域覆盖的双向卫星通信网络）将位置数据回传至实验室。本实验共使用10台Albatros MD03i型漂流浮标。MD03i型浮标为圆柱结构，直径0.1米，总长0.32米；部署后仅有约0.08米的结构露出水面。为提升浮标的水动力阻力，于海面下1.0米处加装了帆翼。该帆翼由两片直径0.35米的圆形黑色塑料部件在中心垂直拼接而成。由于露出水面的结构占比极小，该漂流浮标的运动轨迹可反映水柱上层1米范围内的海流状态。