The Research Vessel Tracking page works best with the latest version of the Java browser plug-in which can be downloaded from the java.com website.
When you start using the map - you will see the current locations of both research vessels. Using the menu buttons located above the map, you can display any of the following maps,
- Current Track for Celtic Explorer - clicking this button displays a map showing the path the Celtic Explorer has taken on its current survey. If there is no survey information available, the main map containing the 2 research vessels will be displayed instead.
- Current Track for Celtic Voyager - clicking this button displays a map showing the path the Celtic Voyager has taken on its current survey. If there is no survey information available, the main map containing the 2 research vessels will be displayed instead.
- Annual Track for Celtic Explorer - clicking this button displays a map showing the path that the Celtic Explorer has travelled since the 1st of January of the current year.
- Annual Track for Celtic Voyager - clicking this button displays a map showing the path that the Celtic Voyager has travelled since the 1st of January of the current year.
You can return to the map containing the current locations of both vessels at any time by clicking on the Main map button.
Map features
While viewing a map, you can access various additional features using the mouse;
- To zoom in on a section of the map, press the left mouse button and drag the mouse to create a box over the area of interest. Release the mouse button to zoom in on this area.
- To move the map view left, right, up or down - click on the arrows at the edge of the map.
Clicking on the map with the right mouse button brings up a menu of the following options;
- Show Information displays additional information for the ship nearest the mouse pointer on the map. The additional information includes details such as when the location was last logged, what its exact position, heading and speed were and some information on weather conditions at that point.
- Hyperlink - this option is not used in the research vessels tracking map.
- Hide names - removes the vessel names from the map.
- Disconnect trails - when displaying the annual or current tracks for the research vessels, selecting this option causes the track to be displayed without connecting lines between each location point.
- Show History - this option is not used in the research vessels tracking map.
- Communication window - this option is not used in the research vessels tracking map.
- On mouse click - this option is not used in the research vessels tracking map.
- World map - this resets the view to a map of the entire world.
- Pan here - this centers the map on the last mouse click position (an alternative to using the arrows at the edge of the map to move the view around).
- Home in - this option is not used in the research vessels tracking map.
- Map style - you can view the vessel locations on 2 different maps. The Land map displays lots of information about the land including towns, cities, roads and inland waterways. The Sea chart displays detailed information about the seas including the names of sea features, depths and items such as lighthouses.
- Meteorological parameter - this option allows you to overlay information about various weather phenomena onto the map. You can use this to view information about the wind, pressure and various types of waves.
- Forecast hour - this controls the time period for which meteorological information is displayed.
- Storm Graphics - enabling this option displays details on the map of any current storm warnings. You may need to use the World map view to see any storm warnings.
- Meteorogology table provides weather information for use in a spreadsheet application.
- Storm table provides storm information for use in a spreadsheet application.