In a joint US-Japanese effort to track the movement of seawater along the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, US C-130 aircrew members from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota AB dropped seven Davis Drifter buoys on 29 April 2011. The data collected from the buoys will aid scientists in developing more accurate models of ocean currents. The models will be used for to help Japanese and US disaster response planners understand where water will flow should there be further radioactive releases from the earthquake- and tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as well as determining the safest route for ships operating along the Japanese coastline. The mission was the first of its kind for 36th AS crews.
