Tracking and monitoring oil slicks using remote sensing

Abstract

Oil spills can harm marine life in the oceans, estuaries and wetlands. To limit the damage by a spill and facilitate cleanup efforts, emergency managers need information on spill location, size and extent, direction and speed of oil movement, and wind, current and wave information for predicting oil drift and dispersion. The main operational data requirements are fast turn-around time and frequent imaging to monitor the dynamics of the spill. Remote sensors on satellites and aircraft meet most of these requirements by tracking the spilled oil at various resolutions, over wide areas and at frequent intervals. Satellite sensors can provide key inputs to drift prediction models, such as oil spill location and extent, currents, winds and wave conditions over large offshore and ocean areas. Airborne remote sensing techniques provide the fast turn-around time and frequent imaging for monitoring the dynamics of the spill and for targeting of skimming and booming efforts. Remotely controlled underwater robots and new acoustic waveguide techniques can be deployed to track submerged oil plumes.