4 ms·

This is not far north because of winds, it's just the shortest line! Great circle distance (Curves in Mercator, straight lines on globe) vs. Rhumb lines (Strai

by mxfh 13y ago

This is not far north because of winds, it's just the shortest line! Great circle distance (Curves in Mercator, straight lines on globe) vs. Rhumb lines (Straight in Mercator, constant course angle against meridians) http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ComparingLoxodromesAndGreatCircleRoutes/ http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ComparingLoxodromesAndGrea... [edit] added picture for explanation http://i.imgur.com/wJS0ry1.png http://i.imgur.com/wJS0ry1.png Lines of same color have identical course

cs02rm0 13y ago
Sort of, journeys in the other direction are pushed even further north (or, actually north of the straight line) though which I believe is because of the winds. - i.e. it's a factor, isn't it?
- mxfh 13y ago
  Jet Streams are a factor but their position varies. The appearance as a northbound curve is the effect of the straight Orthodrome/Great Circle line projected into Mercator. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_flight#Transatlantic_routes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_flight#Transatlan... [edit] I think it's fair to assume the winds are relatively stable and more intense further north so eastbound (US > Europe) flights might deviate even further to the north. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Tracks#Route_Planning http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Tracks#Route_Pla... http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/10hPa/overlay=temp/orthographic=-5.76,48.35,605 http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/10hPa/ove...
deleted 13y ago
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