Oceanography Research Paper - Garbage Patches
Oceanic Garbage Patches, Plastic Soup Research Paper
Kenneth M. Litwak II
City University of Seattle
Abstract
There are five garbage patches in the world’s oceans. Very few people even realize they exist and many of those who do think these are islands of floating debris. Garbage Patches are more like plastic soup and as such are far more difficult to identify and even more difficult to clean up.
The real Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Photo by Miriam Goldstein, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2010 EX1006 cruise.
Oceanic Garbage Patches, Plastic Soup Research Paper
Trash from humans is collecting in the vortex areas of the world’s oceans. Finding the ‘trash islands’ assessing their destructiveness and locating their sources is not as easy as it might seem. Determining what to do, how to do it and who will pay is almost impossible.
Discovery
In 1997 Captain Charles Moore discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. After charting a course and sailing from Hawaii to California through the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, aboard his 50 foot catamaran, the Alguita. Captain Moore noticed a great deal of debris, mostly plastic floating in the Ocean. Having founded the Algalita Marine Research Institute also known as AMRI in 1994 to study coastal resources his focus immediately changed. Today, AMRI is working toward a plastic pollution free world and celebrating its 10th year anniversary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HgmYj3mXGqw
Science
Oceanic garbage patches accumulate in the gyre regions. Wind moves surface water. Because of low friction the water immediately below the surface moves more slowly. At this point the Coriolis Effect comes into play and the layer below the surface moves to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern. This pattern holds true for successive layers down the water column creating a spiral flow until the current at depth is moving in the opposite
Kenneth M. Litwak II
City University of Seattle
Abstract
There are five garbage patches in the world’s oceans. Very few people even realize they exist and many of those who do think these are islands of floating debris. Garbage Patches are more like plastic soup and as such are far more difficult to identify and even more difficult to clean up.
The real Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Photo by Miriam Goldstein, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2010 EX1006 cruise.
Oceanic Garbage Patches, Plastic Soup Research Paper
Trash from humans is collecting in the vortex areas of the world’s oceans. Finding the ‘trash islands’ assessing their destructiveness and locating their sources is not as easy as it might seem. Determining what to do, how to do it and who will pay is almost impossible.
Discovery
In 1997 Captain Charles Moore discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. After charting a course and sailing from Hawaii to California through the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, aboard his 50 foot catamaran, the Alguita. Captain Moore noticed a great deal of debris, mostly plastic floating in the Ocean. Having founded the Algalita Marine Research Institute also known as AMRI in 1994 to study coastal resources his focus immediately changed. Today, AMRI is working toward a plastic pollution free world and celebrating its 10th year anniversary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HgmYj3mXGqw
Science
Oceanic garbage patches accumulate in the gyre regions. Wind moves surface water. Because of low friction the water immediately below the surface moves more slowly. At this point the Coriolis Effect comes into play and the layer below the surface moves to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern. This pattern holds true for successive layers down the water column creating a spiral flow until the current at depth is moving in the opposite
References: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-news/ocean-trash-plaguing-our-sea http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/16/vbs.toxic.garbage.island/index.html http://greatpacificgarbagepatch.info/ http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html