Subject: Info: Blue Whale research
Michael Williamson (whe_william)
Mon, 23 Oct 1995 19:29:12
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From: Michael Williamson <WHE_WILLIAM@FLO.ORG>
Subject: Info: Blue Whale research
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Subj: BLUE WHALE RESEARCH
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 1995 09:47:20 -0700
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From: Alan Macnow <amacnow@igc.apc.org>
Subject: BLUE WHALE RESEARCH
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FROM: Alan Macnow
Consultant, Japan Whaling Association
The publication AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY this week reported
that Japanese researchers will track the migratory patterns and assoc-
iated ecological information from blue whales via a space satellite.
The project, scheduled to begin with the launch of a polar orbiting
space satellite in 1997, is part of a program undertaken by the
International Whaling Commission designed to collect data which
will assist in the recovery of the depleted Antarctic blue whale
population.
The $2-million ecological project is under development by NEC Corp.
and Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology. It was was presented at the
recent International Astronautical Federation (IAF) congress in Oslo.
Blue whales can reach 100 ft. in length and weigh 130 metric tons.
They are the largest animals on Earth. But almost nothing is known
about their migratory patterns, current population numbers, and day
to day habits. The satellite information collection system will use
sensors attached to 50-100 blue whales to gather needed data.
Data from the sensor system will be transmitted to a 50-kg. (110-lb.)
Whale Ecology Observation Satellite (WEOS) that will be launched into
polar orbit as a piggyback payload on a Japanese H-2 or Chinese Long
March missile.
The system is being designed to transmit from a whale's back for 2-3
years, long enough to obtain data across a full migratory cycle, ac-
cording to Dr. Tomonao Hayashi, a researcher at the Chiba Institute
and professor emeritus at ISAS, Japan's space science agency. He pre-
sented the plan along with another project official, Takeshi Orii, who
heads NEC's Space Systems Development Div.
According to the magazine reporting on the technology, one unusual
aspect of the project is the way the satellite system on
the whales will generate electrical power for 2-3 years. A kinetic
power generation system developed by the Seiko Epsom watch company will
be used in the unit. The swimming motion of the whale will continually
cycle a mechanical system that will charge a battery to power the 5-w.
satellite receiver/transmitter system. The system is similar to that
used on Seiko's self-winding wristwatches.
As the whale swims, its attached system will periodically record the
physiological parameters of the animal and other information such as
the water temperature.
When the whale comes to the surface to breathe, a pressure sensor will
tell the system that it is on the surface and thus able to communicate
with U.S. Air Force GPS satellites and its Japanese relay satellite.
The system will automatically calculate the whale's position
by acquiring data from two or three GPS spacecraft and then transmit the
location and other data to the Japanese Whale Ecology spacecraft when
it flies overhead.
On each orbit the satellite will obtain data from numerous whales
swimming under its ground track. The spacecraft will be commanded dai-
ly to dump its recorded data when it flies over a Japanese ground sta-
tion.