Ocean waves images Patch#
If the less-dense outer region was also considered in the total estimate, the total mass would then be closer to 100,000 tonnes.Ī total of 1.8 trillion plastic pieces were estimated to be floating in the patch – a plastic count that is equivalent to 250 pieces of debris for every human in the world. When quantifying the mass of the GPGP, the team chose to account only for the denser center area. The center of the GPGP has the highest density and the further boundaries are the least dense. However, the team observed seasonal shift from west to east and substantial variations in latitude (North to South) depending on the year.Ĥ to 16 times more plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch than Previously Estimated On average the patch orbits around 32°N and 145°W. Only floating objects that are predominantly influenced by currents and less by winds were likely to remain within the patch.īy simulating concentration levels in the North Pacific, the researchers were able to follow the location of the patch, demonstrating significant seasonal and interannual variations. LOCATIONĭue to seasonal and interannual variabilities of winds and currents, the GPGP’s location and shape are constantly changing. Sampling at different locations within the same time period allowed a more accurate estimate of the size of the patch and the plastic drifting in it.
This consisted of a fleet of 30 boats, 652 surface nets and two flights over the patch to gather aerial imagery of the debris. To formulate this number, the team of scientists behind this research conducted the most elaborate sampling method ever coordinated. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an estimated surface of 1.6 million square kilometers
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