Jump to content

Loxodromic navigation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by MB (talk | contribs) at 03:10, 28 April 2016 (Disambiguated: rhumbline → Rhumb line). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Rhumb line navigation path: β = constant

Loxodromic navigation (from Greek λοξóς, oblique, and δρóμος, path) is a method of navigation by following a rhumb line, a curve on the surface of the Earth that follows the same angle at the intersection with each meridian. This serves to maintain a steady course in sailing.[1]

Navigating on a spherical surface with a fixed course ( in the figure) results in a spiral path that approaches the North Pole for courses ranging from 270º to 090º and the South Pole for courses from 090º to 270º. On a nautical chart plotted according to the Mercator projection, a loxodromic course appears as a straight line.

Comparison Chart

Comparison, of orthodromic course (white) compared with a loxodromic course (red).

See also

References

  1. ^ Adam Weintrit; Tomasz Neumann (7 June 2011). Methods and Algorithms in Navigation: Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation. CRC Press. pp. 139–. ISBN 978-0-415-69114-7.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Loxodromic_navigation&oldid=717502434"