A Real-Time Airwake Model for Dynamic Interface Simulation Support

According to a report by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP),knowledge of the ocean is demanded by many constituencies including climatologists,fishermen and fisheries managers, harbor pilots, coastal zone managers, Navy andCoast Guard commanders, Public Health Service officers, environmental protectionprofessionals, commercial and recreational boat and ship operators, weatherforecasters, and the offshore mining and oil industry. Many of these needs are beingmet by in-situ ocean observing platforms such as drifting surface buoys,moored buoys, floats, remotely operated vehicles and ships, just to name a few. Forthese platforms, the NOPP has placed a high priority on the development oftechnologies that disseminate data in a timely manner. A variety of commerciallyavailable low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems produced by the private sectorsare now in, or will soon achieve, operational status. They have the potential tomeet NOPP's requirements including two-way communications, real-time datatransmission, global coverage, high data rate and reduced costs. As a result, NALResearch proposes to design and build a data link system utilizing LEO satellitesto collect environmental parameters from ocean observing platforms and to deliverthem to users worldwide in real-time.Satellite data link system can be extremely useful in many applications. Ships,airplanes and trucks have relied on geostationary satellites to provide mobilesatellite services for years. Now, LEO satellite data link system will soon makemobile satellite services available for individuals. Any type of transmission,internet connection, voice, fax, data or paging, will soon be able to reach itsdestination anywhere on the planet. The system will simplify communications forbusiness professionals such as salespeople, field producers and reporters fortelevision networks, construction engineers sending plan revisions, oil-companygeologists uploading test results, just to name a few. People who live in thinlypopulated areas that will never be covered by regular cellular phone service,travelers, private pilots, yachtsmen and disaster relief teams will benefit fromthe LEO satellite-based data link system as well.