What happens to dropsondes after they hit the water?

Persepone · #21 Postby **Persepone** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:01 pm

I think that the dropsondes are one of the things that make sure that people are not where they drop them...

In the summer of 1958 I was on an ore carrier in the Atlantic during a storm that I believe was a hurricane (although probably a "fish" because I never did find any information about it) and it was very scary! This was one of the largest ships of its kind and it was tossed around as if it were a small matchbox in the middle of the ocean...

I'm guessing that with much better weather prediction and earlier weather prediction today ships don't get as close to hurricanes as that one did...

#22 Postby **Steve Cosby** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:28 pm

rtd2 wrote:Uhm...The odds of that are slim cause THEY DONT DROP over land and NOONE would hopefully Be Near the center OVER WATER!

Don't forget that the Jet also drops these all over the GOM when sampling the upper atmosphere away from the TS.

Hurricaneman · #23 Postby **Hurricaneman** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:31 pm

I would assume they sink

Mac · #24 Postby **Mac** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:34 pm

MGC wrote:sink like a rock. I asked when I was on Miss Piggy.....MGC

Famous last words of Kermit.

rtd2 · #25 Postby **rtd2** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 4:30 pm

Steve Cosby wrote:
rtd2 wrote:Uhm...The odds of that are slim cause THEY DONT DROP over land and NOONE would hopefully Be Near the center OVER WATER!

Don't forget that the Jet also drops these all over the GOM when sampling the upper atmosphere away from the TS.

True but NOT over land...

#26 Postby **Steve Cosby** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 4:34 pm

rtd2 wrote:
Steve Cosby wrote:Don't forget that the Jet also drops these all over the GOM when sampling the upper atmosphere away from the TS.

True but NOT over land...

No - I realize that - but there's going to be a cruise ship out there one of these days that recovers one of these things.

#27 Postby **bevgo** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:35 pm

caneflyer wrote:
Derek Ortt wrote:a dropsonde weighs about 1 pound and has a parachute. There is absolutely no danger of it injuring anyone. Plus, they are dropped over the water

While it is on a parachute, the fall rate at the surface is still about 10 m/s. That's fast enough to give someone a concussion - or worse.

But why would anyone be in a boat--much less on deck-- in the area where they are being dropped? Much more danger from the storm that the device I would think. :think:

#28 Postby **Steve Cosby** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:21 am

bevgo wrote:But why would anyone be in a boat--much less on deck-- in the area where they are being dropped? Much more danger from the storm that the device I would think.

Because the synoptic missions drop these things far from the hurricane itself.

Not very likely but it remains possible.

GalvestonDuck · #29 Postby **GalvestonDuck** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:48 am

They just send someone out in a SpongeBob submarine cart with a cage on it, kinda like those golfball picker carts, to cruise around the ocean floor and pick 'em up. I hear they get 10 cents for every one they bring back. :wink:

#30 Postby **alicia-w** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:54 am

http://www.atd.ucar.edu/rtf/facilities/sssf_facility_descrip/dropsonde.specs.html

caneflyer · #31 Postby **caneflyer** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:59 pm

alicia-w wrote:http://www.atd.ucar.edu/rtf/facilities/sssf_facility_descrip/dropsonde.specs.html

That link is for the older Loran sonde, not the current GPS sonde.

#32 Postby **alicia-w** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:24 pm

http://www.atd.ucar.edu/rtf/facilities/dropsonde/gpsDropsonde.html#Dropsonde

What happens to dropsondes after they hit the water?

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