How cool is this?  Now surface currents can be tracked in real time by the National Ocean Service at NOAA.

Not only can this technology be used to help locate people lost at sea, but it can be used to track hazmat spills (hello oil!) and algae bloom dead-zones caused by fertilizer watersheds.  Apparently it can even be used to estimate water quality and to make ‘fishery management’ decisions.  Neat stuff!

Here’s a cool example of radar mapping ocean currents using a google-map overlay.

“The surface current data are collected with high frequency radar systems, which bounce signals off the water to create a map of the surface currents. The maps improve accuracy of predictions of how victims lost at sea, contaminants such as spilled oil, or other objects will travel in the water. Scientists can also make conclusions about water quality, assess our ecosystems, and even make fisheries management decisions based on these surface current maps.”

via Caribbean Surface Current Data Now Available to Rescuers, Hazmat Crews.