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Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!
Something for the scientists amongst you!
- Thread starter Sandrine Bascouert
- Start date
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
Sandrine Bascouert
Member
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
Hi, Sandrine,
Nice international makeup of the author team.
Here's an article that summarizes the Horvath et al work:
http://www.livescience.com/1320-vikings-navigated-cloudy-days.html
Best regards,
Doug
No, I don't, and it is about USD32.00 to get the article as a one-off.
Nice international makeup of the author team.
Here's an article that summarizes the Horvath et al work:
http://www.livescience.com/1320-vikings-navigated-cloudy-days.html
Best regards,
Doug
Bart_van_der_Wolf
pro member
I somehow doubt that there is enough polarized light under heavy cloud cover or in the fog to be of use for suggesting the sun position, but it's a nice philosophy.
It's the blue sky that is polarized, not the scattered light that penetrates the clouds.
Cheers,
Bart
Andy brown
Well-known member
Yes it's a nice theory.
The Vikings, as experienced seafarers would have had many other indicators as to their azimuth than just the position of the sun.
The direction of the wind and swell would have been obvious to them also. How do you tell the direction of the wind without the sun to orientate you? There would be several indicators, temperature of said wind not being least of those factors as well as the cycle of the weather patterns, smells of the direction from whence the wind comes etc., etc., etc.
I was in the south pacific ( I'm always in the south pacific but I mean the tropical south pacific islands) last July and commented to my 15 year old son that the wind had changed. He said " yep, Southerly's in".
A Canadian chap staying at the same remote island location just looked at us quizzically, the spot we were in was sheltered from the wind and it was not obvious at all that the wind had shifted or which direction it was coming from. He had no idea of his bearings but my son did, like I said we live in the south pacific and just 'know' what a southerley feels like.
Further to that,The island chap who took us to secret reefs to dive on knew instinctively where they were, no GPS, cloudy days, very few landmarks (none that we could see) but heset a course and stuck to it and dropped us right on the reef. Uncanny.
Newfoundlanders find there way home from the fishing grounds in the thick fog by following their noses, literally.
Aboriginal Australians can find water in the desert through sophisticated 'songlines'.
Ernest Shackleton found a remote Whaling station in South Georgia in a busted arsed life boat with no humanly reasonable opportunity or conditions to use his sextant from
A shitty little spot called Elephant rock near the Antarctic in conditions that would have made the Vikings' hair turn red (!). Do read about this voyage, it really is quite amazing.
Astounding!
Anyway, nice post Sandrine.
The Vikings, as experienced seafarers would have had many other indicators as to their azimuth than just the position of the sun.
The direction of the wind and swell would have been obvious to them also. How do you tell the direction of the wind without the sun to orientate you? There would be several indicators, temperature of said wind not being least of those factors as well as the cycle of the weather patterns, smells of the direction from whence the wind comes etc., etc., etc.
I was in the south pacific ( I'm always in the south pacific but I mean the tropical south pacific islands) last July and commented to my 15 year old son that the wind had changed. He said " yep, Southerly's in".
A Canadian chap staying at the same remote island location just looked at us quizzically, the spot we were in was sheltered from the wind and it was not obvious at all that the wind had shifted or which direction it was coming from. He had no idea of his bearings but my son did, like I said we live in the south pacific and just 'know' what a southerley feels like.
Further to that,The island chap who took us to secret reefs to dive on knew instinctively where they were, no GPS, cloudy days, very few landmarks (none that we could see) but heset a course and stuck to it and dropped us right on the reef. Uncanny.
Newfoundlanders find there way home from the fishing grounds in the thick fog by following their noses, literally.
Aboriginal Australians can find water in the desert through sophisticated 'songlines'.
Ernest Shackleton found a remote Whaling station in South Georgia in a busted arsed life boat with no humanly reasonable opportunity or conditions to use his sextant from
A shitty little spot called Elephant rock near the Antarctic in conditions that would have made the Vikings' hair turn red (!). Do read about this voyage, it really is quite amazing.
Astounding!
Anyway, nice post Sandrine.
Sandrine Bascouert
Member
I'm happy that I've found something valuable both for me and for the most picky among you 
.
As for the wind we have a bit of the same in south of France. It's called the "vent d'Autan"
You can be stuck inside a cave with no wind or even a simple draught, whenever your spouse starts shouting at you for no reason.... You know it's here (The old say : c'est l'Autan qui se leve, ya Renée qui devient fada).
The first one to give an accurate translation, will have both my admiration and a postcard (promise)
.As for the wind we have a bit of the same in south of France. It's called the "vent d'Autan"
You can be stuck inside a cave with no wind or even a simple draught, whenever your spouse starts shouting at you for no reason.... You know it's here (The old say : c'est l'Autan qui se leve, ya Renée qui devient fada).
The first one to give an accurate translation, will have both my admiration and a postcard (promise)
Cem_Usakligil
Well-known member
Hi Sandrine,
When the "Autan" wind starts to blow, your average Joe turns into an idiot/fool. Corrolary: when people around you start acting foolish, you know that it must be due to the "Autan" wind which is blowing.
Cheers,
Thanks to my wife who speaks French, Google Translate and Le Dictionnaire Marseillais; here is what I have got to offer as a feeble attempt:
When the "Autan" wind starts to blow, your average Joe turns into an idiot/fool. Corrolary: when people around you start acting foolish, you know that it must be due to the "Autan" wind which is blowing.
Cheers,
Sandrine Bascouert
Member
OK, I already got your address....
You already know, Cem, that I admire you
You already know, Cem, that I admire you
Sandrine Bascouert
Member
OK, I already got your address....
You already know, Cem, that I admire you
I might be drunk, I haven't got your address....
PM you...
Sorry!
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
Hi, Sandrine,
The same is said of the föhn wind in the Alps and the Santa Ana wind in California.
Regarding the latter, noted crime novelist Raymond Chandler, in his short story Red Wind, says:
Best regards,
Doug
I'm happy that I've found something valuable both for me and for the most picky among you
As for the wind we have a bit of the same in south of France. It's called the "vent d'Autan"
You can be stuck inside a cave with no wind or even a simple draught, whenever your spouse starts shouting at you for no reason
The same is said of the föhn wind in the Alps and the Santa Ana wind in California.
Regarding the latter, noted crime novelist Raymond Chandler, in his short story Red Wind, says:
"There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge."
Best regards,
Doug
Andy brown
Well-known member
It's nice to have a thread which is a little removed from photog. for a change.
Just to clarify, Where I'm from (Australia) is in the Southern hemisphere so the Southerly I refer to is actually a cold fresh wind from the deep southern ocean.
I live on the southern end of the continent so we are exposed to wildly changing weather and believe me our version of the ill wind is a doozy, a hot northerly which sweeps in from a massive hot baking desert and can really pack some heat. It also brings an ever present fear of bushfire which can be completely devastating. Whenever ths wind comes and it can be quite regular it is followed by a southerly change. I was looking at the meteorological site the other day, parts of the south were baking at around 44-45 degrees C yet where the cold change had arrived there were areas of 12-14degrees C with a massive wind chill factor thrown in making the apparent temperature not much above freezing . So you could be cooked or frozen within 100 kilometeres distance. Personally, I'm an oddity, I love the heat, I adore it, when everyone is wilting and bemoaning the infernal heat, I keep my mouth shut and smile to myself, crack a cold beer and have a swim and thank Hughie for sending another hot Summer's day....Bliss! Oh, and the surf really cranks in the hot wind too, double bliss !
Just to clarify, Where I'm from (Australia) is in the Southern hemisphere so the Southerly I refer to is actually a cold fresh wind from the deep southern ocean.
I live on the southern end of the continent so we are exposed to wildly changing weather and believe me our version of the ill wind is a doozy, a hot northerly which sweeps in from a massive hot baking desert and can really pack some heat. It also brings an ever present fear of bushfire which can be completely devastating. Whenever ths wind comes and it can be quite regular it is followed by a southerly change. I was looking at the meteorological site the other day, parts of the south were baking at around 44-45 degrees C yet where the cold change had arrived there were areas of 12-14degrees C with a massive wind chill factor thrown in making the apparent temperature not much above freezing . So you could be cooked or frozen within 100 kilometeres distance. Personally, I'm an oddity, I love the heat, I adore it, when everyone is wilting and bemoaning the infernal heat, I keep my mouth shut and smile to myself, crack a cold beer and have a swim and thank Hughie for sending another hot Summer's day....Bliss! Oh, and the surf really cranks in the hot wind too, double bliss !
Sandrine Bascouert
Member
You're welcome, My nickname is "Off-Topic"
PS:Tell me when, when, how... And I'll pack my things, 20 hours of flight doesn't frighten me (bloody winter!!!!)