国际航行英语 4船上娱乐 Navigational Instruments.pptVIP

Magnetic Compass How does a magnetic compass work? ?A magnetic compass works because the Earth is like a giant magnet, surrounded by a huge magnetic field. The Earth has two magnetic poles which lie near the North and South poles. The magnetic field of the Earth causes a magnetized needle of iron or steel to swing into a north-south position if it is hung from a thread, or if it is stuck through a straw or piece of wood floating in a bowl of water. How accurate is the magnetic compass?? As long ago as the 15th century, mariners noticed that the needle of a magnetic compass does not point accurately to Earths true north. Columbus, for instance was aware of this on his voyages across the Atlantic in the 1490s. Instead, the needle makes an angle with true north, and that angle varies from place to place on the Earths surface. This means that there is a different magnetic variation for different places on Earth. Magnetic Compass How were the simplest compasses improved?? A great improvement came when the needle was mounted under a card on a sharp pin, and placed in a little turned wooden or ivory box. How were these cards marked out?? At first, compass cards were marked out not in degrees, but in points. There were 32 points, matching the directions of winds which sailors would be familiar with at sea. The four main points – North, South, East and West – are called the cardinal points.? Do iron ships pose particular problems for magnetic compasses? ?Yes. The magnetic field of the iron body of the ship itself affects the reading on the compass. Global Positioning System Introduction What is GPS The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system consisting of orbiting satellites, a network of ground control stations, and user positioning and navigation equipment. It provides precise, continuous, all-weather, world-wide navigation capability for sea, land, and air applications. It can produce a highly accurate three dimensional position and