A new search-and-rescue service in the Mediterranean Sea: a demonstration of the operational capability and an evaluation of its performance using real case scenarios (original) (raw)

A new web-based and mobile Decision Support System (DSS) for Search-And-Rescue (SAR) at sea is presented, and its performance is evaluated using real case scenarios. The system, named OCEAN-SAR, is accessible via the website <a href="http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com"target="\_blank">http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com</a>. In addition to the website, dedicated applications for iOS and Android have been created to optimise the user experience on mobile devices. OCEAN-SAR simulates drifting objects at sea, using as input ocean currents and wind data provided, respectively, by the CMEMS and ECMWF. The modelling of the drifting objects is based on the Leeway model, which parameterises the wind drag of an object using a series of coefficients. These coefficients have been measured in field experiments for different types of objects, ranging from a person in the water to a coastal freighter adrift. OCEANSAR provides the user with an intuitive interface to run simulations and t...