SEMINAR: AOML Informal Research Report - September 12, 2011 - 10:30 a.m - Dr. Claude F. (Rick) Lumpkin - “Evaluating where and why drifters die”

["Aoml.Receptionist" <Aoml.Receptionist@noaa.gov>]

Informal Research  Report

  DATE:            Monday, September 12, 2011

 

TIME:             10:30 a.m. – refreshments at 10:15 a.m.

 

Location:  AOML First Floor   Conference Room

 

SPEAKER:      Dr. Claude F. (Rick) Lumpkin NOAA/AOML/PhOD

 

TITLE:           “Evaluating where and why drifters die”

Abstract: NOAA’s Global Drifter Program (GDP) manages a global array of ~1250 active satellite- tracked surface drifting buoys (“drifters”) in collaboration with numerous national and
international partners. In order to better manage the drifter array and to assess the performance of various drifter manufacturers, it is important to discriminate between drifters
that cease transmitting due to internal failure from those that cease due to external factors such as running aground or being picked up. An accurate assessment of where drifters run
aground would also help quantify globally which shores are most prone to the deposit of marine debris, and use the observations to more accurately simulate the evolution of floating
marine debris. While the drifter Data Assembly Center of the GDP provides a metadata file which includes cause of death, the cause for most drifters is “quit transmitting.” In this
study it is shown that a significant fraction of these drifters likely ran aground or were picked up, and a statistical estimate that each drifter ran aground is derived.