Sonobuoy Field Drift Prediction

A model has been developed that enables the simulation of drift by free-floating buoys within a deployed sonobuoy field. This model, the Sonobuoy Field Drift Model (SFDM), incorporates the results of state of the art primitive equation general circulation models, such as CUPOM and NCOM, in the form of a spatially and temporally varying (4-D) current field. The 4-D current field is used as an input to the model and is the main forcing factor that causes sonobuoy drift Individual buoy drift response is calculated by extracting vertical current profiles from the current field at the buoy location and specified time, then solving the buoy equilibrium equations in the presence of that current profile. Buoy position is updated after a user defined time interval using the resulting drift vector. This process is applied recursively to the entire buoy field until the end of the simulation time. Initial comparisons of the model drift predictions to buoy Global Positioning System measured drift data during the LWAD 98-2 exercise have been made. Although buoy- to-buoy comparison of results reveals considerable differences in some instances, in general the SFDM calculated buoy trajectories matched the general behavior of the actual buoy field.Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Div Patuxent River is the author of 'Sonobuoy Field Drift Prediction', published 2005 under ISBN 9781423522133 and ISBN 1423522133.