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New Software Could Warn Sailors of Rogue Waves

Reservoir Hill writes "Sailors have been telling stories for centuries about monstrous ocean waves that tower over a hundred feet in the air and toss ships around like corks. While these were once dismissed as nautical myth, but a few years back synthetic aperture radar from ESA's ERS satellites helped establish the existence of these 'rogue' waves and study their origins. Such waves were far more common than anyone had expected. Now a researcher in Madrid has developed software that can detect rogue waves from radar images, with the possibility of providing advance warning to ships at sea. The software uses a mathematical model to evaluate and process the spatial and temporal dimensions of waves inferred from the interaction between the radar's electromagnetic energy and the sea surface. The result is displayed in a color-coded image."

6 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. This is hardly new... by 3waygeek · · Score: 2, Funny

    Rogue Wave Software has existed since 1989.

  2. Re:But can it Warn Sailors of icebergs? by FireNWater · · Score: 3, Funny

    Only rogue icebergs. . .

  3. Yes, its called.. by eniac42 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Avasta, SP1, me mateys! Shiver me timbers, look at that wave! Arrrrr!

    --
    "A nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it." - Churchill
  4. rogue by odo+graphic · · Score: 5, Funny

    There are no rogue waves, only Chuck Norris swimming laps.

  5. Re:Stoopid scientists get sailors killed. by 0xdeadbeef · · Score: 2, Funny

    I find it amazing that anyone would blindly trust an academic institution with any matter of policy, regarding climate,

    And don't forget evolution! Those scientists, with all their theories, undermining honest God-fearing values! Have they ever seen anything evolve? No!

  6. Re:Stoopid scientists get sailors killed. by jcr · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, my god. If I ever saw something like that at sea, I'd have a hard time facing a swimming pool after that.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."