Evaluation of satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys for simulating the movement of spilled oil in the marine environment. Volume 1. Executive Summary. Report for 1986-1988

Technical Report · Tue Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7058006

Reed, M; Turner, C; Spaulding, M; Jayko, K; Dorson, D

The purpose of this study is to evaluate satellite-tracked surface drifters for use in simulating the movement of spilled crude oil and assessing the skill of the Oil Spill Risk Analysis model. Review of the oil-spill literature since 1980 shows that the most-significant advance relative to surface-transport processes relates to the effect of temporary submergence and surface shear on the distribution of oil behind the downwind leading edge of a surface slick. Dynamic analyses of three basic buoy shapes, the sphere, the spar or cylinder, and the disk or flattened spheroid, were undertaken using a numerical model. The results suggest that, two existing drifters, a sphere and a disk, represent the most-promising available surface drifters for simulating the movement of spilled crude oil.

• Research Organization: Applied Science Associates, Inc., Narragansett, RI (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7058006
• Report Number(s): PB-88-226048/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BUOYS
CURRENTS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EVALUATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
OIL SPILLS
POLLUTION
PROGRESS REPORT
RISK ASSESSMENT
SIMULATION
SPHERES
WATER CURRENTS
WATER POLLUTION