Seagliders move through the water with really low energy requirements using changes in buoyancy for thrust. Yep, all it does it suck a little balloon in and it's volume is now less than it was. It is now more dense than water and it sinks. As it sinks it doesn't just go straight down - it glides along at an angle. When it reaches a certain depth it pumps the balloon out and the volume is now greater than it was. It's now less dense than water and it floats up - at an angle. Still with me? Repeat, and it can move across an ocean, charting it's GPS position, ocean currents, temperatures etc. as it goes.
The balloon isn't even a crap bubble sticking out the back like you're thinking. It's contained within the body (but with holes to let the water in). Probably.
Bollocks, why didn't I think of that first?
The balloon isn't even a crap bubble sticking out the back like you're thinking. It's contained within the body (but with holes to let the water in). Probably.
Bollocks, why didn't I think of that first?
No comments:
Post a Comment