Analytical Techniques for the Calculation of Leeway as a Basis for Search and Rescue Planning

• Main Authors: Morris, J. T., Osychny, V. I., Turner, A. C.
• Other Authors: SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORP NEWPORT RI
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: Escape; Rescue and Survival; *RESCUE EQUIPMENT; *SEARCH AND RESCUE; TARGETS; OCEANS; RADIO BEACONS; OPEN WATER; SYMPOSIA; COMPUTER PROGRAMS; IMMERSION; LEEWAY; SEIE(SUBMARINE ESCAPE AND IMMERSION EQUIPMENT); SEPIRB(SUBMARINE EMERGENCY POSITION INDICATING RADIO BEACON); Canada; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA502061; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA502061

Leeway, defined as the movement of the search object through water caused by the action of wind on the exposed surfaces of the object, is fundamental to search planning. Over the past several years, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Research and Development Center (R&DC) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) have participated in leeway studies of various drift targets such as life rafts, evacuation vessels, sailboats, and other targets of interest. The leeway coefficients computed for each drift target generated from these leeway studies will be used in the new USCG Search and Rescue (SAR) planning software, the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS), to define potential search areas during SAR operations. In the fall of 2005, the R&DC conducted leeway testing of two specific drift objects on behalf of the U.S. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory: the Mark-10 Submarine Escape and Immersion Equipment (SEIE) life raft, and the Submarine Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (SEPIRB). These studies were performed off the coast of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada where open ocean conditions can be obtained within several miles from shore. See also ADM002176. Presented at the MTS/IEEE Oceans 2008 Conference and Exhibition held in Quebec City, Canada on 15-18 September 2008. ISBN 978-1-4244-2620-1. U.S. Government or Federal Rights License. The original document contains color images.