Surface evolution of the deepwater horizon oil spill patch: combined effects of circulation and wind-induced drift.
Following the Deepwater Horizon blowout, major concerns were raised about the probability that the Loop Current would entrain oil at the surface of the Gulf of Mexico toward South Florida. However, such a scenario did not materialize. Results from a modeling approach suggest that the prevailing winds, through the drift they induced at the ocean surface, played a major role in pushing the oil toward the coasts along the northern Gulf, and, in synergy with the Loop Current evolution, prevented the oil from reaching the Florida Straits. This implies that both oceanic currents and surface wind-induced drift must be taken into account for the successful forecasting of the trajectories and landfall of oil particles, even in energetic environments such as the Gulf of Mexico. Consequently, the time range of these predictions is limited to the weather forecasting range, in addition to the range set up by ocean forecasting capabilities.
Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149-1098, United States. mlehenaff@rsmas.miami.edu
Matthieu
M
Le Hénaff
Vassiliki H
VH
Kourafalou
Claire B
CB
Paris
Judith
J
Helgers
Zachary M
ZM
Aman
Patrick J
PJ
Hogan
Ashwanth
A
Srinivasan
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060851:Gulf of America; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D014872:Water Movements; D014919:Wind