Great Circles

By A.W.Strannigan

Great Circles
The shortest distance between 2 points is a Great Circle Route. A Great Circle route will require a vessel to continuously alter course and it will take vessels into higher latitudes.
A/C A/C A/C

A/C

Great Circle
DLong

Pole Function of Final Course

V Initial Course B

Destination Point V = Vertex Maximum Latitude Ships Course 090(T) or 270 (T) A Departure Point

Great Circle Course & Distance Calculations

A Great Circle problem is resolved by spherical trig calculations For a Vessel sailing from position A to position B Distance => Cosine Distance =DLong AB x Cos Lat A x Cos Lat B (+ or ) Sine Lat A x Sine Lat B If Latitude A & B are the same name + If Latitude A & B different names -

Great Circle Calculations

Courses => Courses are calculated using the Sine formula
Sine a/Sine A = Sine b/Sine B = Sine c/Sine C Courses can also be calculated using ABC

Example 1
A vessel is to Sail from Lat 38 42N Long 25 35 E to Lat 40 43N Long 74 00W

Calculate Great Circle distance, Initial Course & Final Course

Pole a B Destination b c C

A Departure Point

Example 1
DLong = 25 35E 74 00W 99 35W
0 (Prime Meridian)

Westerly Course

Example 1 Distance
Cos Dist = Cos DLong. Cos Lat A. Cos Lat B (+ or -) Sine Lat A. Sine Lat B => Cos 99 35. Cos 38 42. Cos 40 43. + Sine 3842. Sine 40 43 => -0.09848 + 0.40786 => 0.30938 => 4318.7

GC Sailing :- Finding Initial & Final Course ABC Method

The A<B<C method, adapts Celestial Navigation Formula, for use in terrestial Navigation problems Information can be found in Nautical Tables such as Norries, or calculated using Spherical Trigonometry ABC are the Names Given to components which we use to find the angles we require

Example 1 Course
ABC A = Tan Lat A/Tan DLong ( Always named opposite to Latitude, except when dlong angle is between 90 and 270) B = Tan Lat B/Sine DLong (Always named the same as the Latitude) C = the summation of A & B Tan Az = 1/C x Cos Lat A

Example 1 Great Circle Course

Tan 38 42/Tan 99 35 = 0.135 N Tan 40 43/Sine 9935 = 0.873 N C = 1.008 Tan Az = 1/1.008 x Cos 38 42 = 51.8 =N51.8 W => Initial Course = 308.2(T)

Example 2
A vessel is to sail from Lat 4106S Long142 18E to Lat 4643 S Long 10807W ship speed 14kts Calculate Great Circle Distance, Initial Course & Final Course and Steaming Time

Example 2
i. ii.

Cos Dist = Cos DLong. Cos Lat A. Cos Lat B (+ or -) Sine Lat A. Sine Lat B Calculate DLong
=>180

142 18 E 37 42 => 109 35E

180 108 07W 71 53

4106S 142 18E A

p B b P a 4643 S 10807W

Example 2 GC Distance
Cos Dist = Cos DLong. Cos Lat A. Cos Lat B (+ or -) Sine Lat A. Sine Lat B = Cos 41 06. Cos 4643. Cos 109 35 + Sine 41 06 Sine 4643 = -0.17317 + 0.47855 = 0.30538 = 72.22 Distance = 4333.1 4106S 142 18E A

p B b P a 4643 S 10807W

Example 2 Initial Course

ABC A= Tan Lat A/Tan DLong = Tan 41 06/Tan 109 35 = 0.31035 S B = Tan Lat B/Sine DLong = Tan 46 43/ Sine 109 35 = 1.1270 S C = 1.43735 S Tan Az = 1/C x Cos Lat = 1/ 1.43735 x Cos 41 06 = S 42.7 E Initial Course = 137.3 (T)

Example 2 Final Course

ABC A= Tan Lat B/Tan DLong = Tan 46 43/Tan 109 35 = 0.37774 S B = Tan Lat A/Sine DLong = Tan 41 06/ Sine 109 35 = 0.92591 S C = 1.30365 S Tan Az = 1/C x Cos Lat = 1/ 1.30365 x Cos 46 43 = S 48.2 W (Reverse) = N 48.2 E Final Course = 048.2 (T)

Example 2 Steaming Time

GC Distance = 4333.1 Vessels Speed = 14kts Time = distance / speed = 4333.1/14 Steaming Time = 309.507 Hours = 12days 21 hours 30 minutes

Example 3
Posn A Lat 18 30S 028 00W Posn B Lat 32 30N 048 00E Calculate the Great Circle Distance from A to B The Initial Course The Final Course

Example 3 Answer Distance

DLong => 28 00W => 48 00E =>76 00E
P B Lat 32 30N 048 00E

A Lat 18 30S 028 00W

Cos Dist = Cos DLong. Cos Lat A. Cos Lat B (+ or -) Sine Lat A. Sine Lat B = Cos 76. Cos 18 30. Cos 3230N - Sine 18 30 Sine 3230
= 5321

Example 3 Initial Course

A = Tan Lat A/ Tan DLong = 0.08342 N B = Tan Lat B/ Sine DLong = 0.65657 N C = 0.73999 => 1/ 0.73999 x Cos 18 30 = N 55E => 055(T)

Example 3 Final Course

A = Tan Lat B/ Tan DLong = 0.15884 S B = Tan Lat A/ Sine DLong = 0.34484 S C = 0.50368 => 1/ 0.50368 x Cos 32 30 = S 67W => Reverse = N 67 E => 067(T)

Example 4
Posn A Lat 5 30N 165 30W Posn B Lat 52 30S 135 00E Calculate The Mercator Distance from A to B The Great Circle Distance from A to B The Initial Course The Final Course

Example 4 Mercator Distance

Tan Co = DLong/DMP Cos Co = DLat/Distance Distance = DLat/ Cos Co DLong => 165 30W => 135 00E =>59 30 00W DLat DMP Tan Co = 59 30 00/4023.9 = 3570/4023.9 = 0.88719 = 41.6 Distance = 58/ Cos 41.6 = 3480/0.74804 = 4652

=> 5 30N = 328.27 52 30S = 3695.6 58 00 = 4023.9

Example 4 Answer GC Distance

DLong => 165 30W => 135 00E =>59 30 00W
B 52 30S 135 00E P Lat 5 30N 165 30W A

Cos Dist = Cos DLong. Cos Lat A. Cos Lat B (+ or -) Sine Lat A. Sine Lat B = Cos 5 30. Cos 52 30. Cos 5930 - Sine 5 30 Sine 5230
= 4597

Example 4 Initial Course

A = Tan Lat A/ Tan DLong = 0.0567 S B = Tan Lat B/ Sine DLong = 1.152 S C = 1.5687 => 1/ 1.5687 x Cos 5 30 = S 32.6W => 212.6(T)

Example 4 Final Course

A = Tan Lat B/ Tan DLong = 0.76766 N B = Tan Lat A/ Sine DLong = 0.11175 N C = 0.87941 => 1/ 0.87941 x Cos 52 30 = N 61.8E => Reverse = S 61.8 W => 241.8(T)

Composite Great Circles

Great Circle routes may take the ship into higher Latitudes There are number of reasons why a vessel may not want to reach the higher latitudes to be found on trans Ocean great circle tracks.
Loadline regulations Dangerous ice Bad weather Limits of crew agreement Navigation aids become unreliable Insurance purposes Cargo Considerations Daylight restrictions for deck maintenance Charter impose restrictions Land or Islands on the route

Composite Great Circles

Therefore a composite great circle may be required The composition being that of Great Circle routes and P Parralel Sailing Route
P

V GC2 B

V GC1 A

Composite Great Circle

A Composite Great Circle is resolved by Napier Rules Example A ship is to Sail from Durban 30 00S 31 00E to Melbourne 39 00S 144 00E. Charter party instructions require the ship not to pass the 43 Parallel of Latitude. Ship speed 12kts. Calculate:
Longitude when the ship arrives at the limiting latitude Initial Course Total Distance Longitude when the ship leaves the limiting latitude Steaming time

Napiers Rules
Napiers rules can be applied to any spherical triangle where there is either a 90 side or a 90 angle. THE RULE STATES THE FOLLOWING
Sin of the middle Part = Product of the Cosines of the opposite parts Sin of the Middle Part = Product of the tangents of the adjacent Parts (The parts are simply the other sides and angles within the triangle) To use Napiers rules we need to know at least two parts of the triangle, other than the 90 angle.

Composite GC
Draw GC Route
A 30 00S 31 00E

43

39 00S 144 00E

Right Angled Spherical Triangle

This triangle has amounts to 6 Parts A 3 angles <p <a < v 3 sides PA, AV & PV To utilise Napiers Rules we must construct Napiers wheel
30 00S 31 00E

43

Napiers Wheel
What do we know? V V= 90 PA = Co Lat AV PV PV = Limiting lat 00S 31 00E A 30 P

43 90-<A 90- PA 90- < P What do we want to know? < P = DLong < A = Initial Course AV = GC Distance

Napiers Formula
V Sin of the middle Part = Product of the Cosines of the opposite parts Sin of the Middle Part = Product of the tangents of the adjacent Parts 00S 31 00E A 30 P AV PV

43 90-<A 90- PA 90- < P

What we know Side PV = 90 - 43 = 47 Side PA = 90 - 30 = 60 => 90 - 60 = 30

Napiers Formula
V Sin of the middle Part = Product of the Cosines of the opposite parts Sin of the Middle Part = Product of the tangents of the adjacent Parts AV PV = 47 00S 31 00E A 30 P

90-<A

90- < P= X 43

90- PA=30 What we want to Know know <P = dlong Sin of the Middle Part = Product of the tangents of the adjacent Parts Sin X = Tan 47 x Tan 30 = 0.61913 = 3815.1

Napiers Formula
DLong = 3815.1 What is the Longitude when the ship arrives at the limiting latitude 31 00E 3815.1E 69 15.1E 43 00S 31 00E A 30 P

00S 31 00E A 30 P

What is < A = Initial Course

43 V

AV

PV = 47

90-<A 90- PA=30

90- < P

Sin of the middle Part = Product of the Cosines of the opposite parts Sine 47 = Cos 30 x Cos < A

0.73135 = 0.86602 x Cos A Cos A = 0.73135/0.86602 =0.84449=3222.9 90 - 3222.9 =

Napiers wheel
V

PV

AV

V B

<P PA

<A

We Know or we can calculate PA & <A We wish to find the Co lat of the Vertex PV

Great Circle Napiers Rules

P In diagram and triangle PAV WHAT DO WE KNOW ? PA The Co Lat of A (90-Latitude) Angle V which is 90 Angle A is not given. (Can it be calculated?) To find the Vertex: Side PV will give the Co-Lat of Vertex Angle P will give the dlong of the vertex from A Side AV which will give the distance of the vertex from A A V = Vertex Maximum Latitude Ships Course 090(T) or 270 (T) V B

To Find PV Co Lat of Vertex