title: Oil spill hazard assessment using a reverse trajectory method for the Egadi marine protected area (Central Mediterranean Sea).
abstract: The Egadi Marine Protected Area (MPA) on the western side of the Sicily Channel (Central Mediterranean) is exposed to a high risk of oil pollution from the tanker routes connecting the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea. Areas where an oil spill would do most damage, and thus where surveillance should be concentrated, are identified in this study by Lagrangian tracers tracked backwards in time from points along the MPA perimeter using data spanning six years from 2006 to 2011. Results indicate that the areas where oil surveillance would be most beneficial are segments of the tanker routes south of Sicily (highly frequented) and north of Sicily (scarcely frequented), both extending about 150 miles from November to March and 100 miles in the other months. The third route, close to the Tunisian shore, is the most frequented by oil tankers but the threat period is limited to November and December.
authors.affiliation: e-geos/ASI-Telespazio, via S. Cannizzaro 71, 00156 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: achille.ciappa@e-geos.it.
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciappa
authors.affiliation: Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare, Via Cristoforo Colombo 44, 00147 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costabile
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D012767:Ships; D012802:Sicily
keywords: Backward-in-time integration; Egadi archipelago; Lagrangian tracers; Marine protected area; Oil pollution transport; Receptor mode