2018 – Page 12 – Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative

Study author Uta Passow prepares treatments for roller table experiments. Image provided by Passow.

Study Explores Complex Dispersant Effects on Marine Oil Snow Formation

February 2, 2018

Researchers simulated the sinking of marine particle aggregates in oil-dispersant mixtures to assess how Corexit chemical dispersant affects specific biological processes involving marine oil snow formation. The team found that Corexit could significantly enhance or inhibit marine oil snow formation depending on application timing and location and interactions with other water column compounds, making its influence difficult to predict.

Study Finds New “Ocean” Link Between Florida and Cuba

February 1, 2018

A new oceanographic study underscores the deep connection that exists between Florida and Cuba. Researchers at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science have uncovered specific types of previously unknown clockwise recirculating ocean features (called anticyclonic eddies or anticyclones), which they named Cuban Anticyclones, or CubANs since they form and travel eastward along the Cuban coast.

The GOES satellite took this image at 15:15 CDT August 25 2017 as NASA scientists flew through the eye of Hurricane Harvey. (Credit: NASA)

Research Teams Show Hurricane Readiness and Resilience

February 1, 2018

The 2017 hurricane season was one of the most active and destructive on record and included two major storms that affected the U.S. Gulf Coast – Harvey and Irma. Scientists who lead consortia funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative are based in this area, and they shared how they and their teams prepared for and fared after the storms.

Study Quantifies Deep Ocean Degradation Rates for Individual Crude Oil Compounds

January 31, 2018

Scientists analyzed in situ deep-depth water column measurements before and after the Deepwater Horizon well was capped and calculated degradation rate estimates for 49 hydrocarbons (23% of released spill material) and inferred the rates of an additional 5 hydrocarbons.

Sea Grant Releases Bulletin on Corals and Oil Spills

January 25, 2018

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is pleased to announce a new Sea Grant publication that explains which corals were affected by the Deepwater Horizon incident and how scientists are monitoring those corals. The bulletin also describes the important roles that corals play in maintaining a healthy ocean and how corals worldwide struggle in the face of constant, multiple threats.

Illustration of the interaction of oil droplets and gas bubbles on the formation of oil and gas during the Deepwater Horizon incident. The presence of gas in the discharged plume reduced oil droplet size. Image provided by Michel Boufadel.

Modeling Study Characterizes Droplet and Bubble Formation in Subsea Oil Spills

January 23, 2018

Researchers developed a new formulation to simulate gas-oil interactions within a developing underwater oil plume and applied the technique to the Deepwater Horizon incident. The simulations showed that in the absence of dispersant, gas bubbles reduced the median oil droplet and bubble sizes by up to 20%, with 30 – 50% reduction observed in intermediate gas fractions.

Temporary ‘bathtub drains’ in the ocean concentrate flotsam

January 19, 2018

An experiment featuring the largest flotilla of sensors ever deployed in a single area provides new insights into how marine debris, or flotsam, moves on the surface of the ocean. The experiment conducted in the Gulf of Mexico near the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill placed hundreds of drifting sensors to observe how material moves on the ocean’s surface.

Video Shows Technology that Scientists Use to Study the Ocean’s Motion

January 18, 2018

Scientists completed four field experiments in the Gulf of Mexico, linking the dynamics of deep ocean, shelf, and coastal surface currents (where materials such as oil or debris naturally accumulate) in a way that has never been done before. So how did they do that?

Typical visual appearance of an oil slick on seawater: oil layer thickness varies across the slick area, as indicated by different colors (photograph provided by ITOPF). The graph insert shows an example dispersion simulation result of slick lengthwise mass(/thickness) distribution and wind-induced displacement over time. (Provided by Marieke Zeinstra-Helfrich)

Modeling Study Develops Approach to Compare Oil Slick Dispersion Scenarios

January 16, 2018

Researchers developed an algorithm that accounts for different wind speeds, oil types, natural dispersion processes (breaking waves), and chemical dispersant application to analyze oil slick evolution scenarios. The model results indicate how the oil slick will become thinner and dissipate over time as a result of dispersion.

Opportunity: Post-doctoral Scholar at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab

January 12, 2018

The Alabama Center for Ecological Resilience (ACER) is seeking a post-doctoral researcher versed in handling large data sets to lead this synthesis of the results of our seven groups of investigators to join their team in Spring 2018.