drifters

Drifters are individuals or objects that drift. In everyday language, the term most often denotes a person who moves from place to place without a fixed home or regular employment, sometimes wandering for extended periods. In scientific and technical contexts, a drifter refers to a device or object designed to be carried by currents or winds to measure movement and transport processes.

In sociology and urban studies, "drifter" has historically described someone living transiently on the margins of society, often in cities. The term can carry stigmatizing connotations and has varied with welfare policies, housing availability, and social attitudes. Contemporary usage tends to be more descriptive and less judgmental, focusing on mobility patterns rather than identity.

Oceans and atmosphere: In oceanography, a surface drifter is a floating instrument equipped with a GPS receiver used to track currents, windage, and sea-surface temperature. Subsurface drifters and drifters with drogues provide data on vertical shear. Data from drifters contribute to weather prediction, climate research, and marine circulation models.

Automotive culture: Drifting is a motorsport technique in which a driver intentionally oversteers to produce a controlled slide through a corner. Participants in professional drifting competitions are often called drifters. The sport has international events and a strong presence in media and car-tuning communities.

Music: The Drifters is an American vocal group formed in the 1950s that achieved wide chart success in doo-wop and early soul, with hits such as "Under the Boardwalk" and "This Magic Moment." The name has become widely recognized in popular music history, with various lineup changes over the decades.