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GoMRI Special Issue in Oceanography Magazine 

Volume 34 Issue 01

As a culmination of all GoMRI projects, the special issue in Oceanography has now been published. The special issue  represents the main scientific accomplishments by summarizing the culmination of a decade of research supported by GoMRI. This collection of articles describes key advances, surprises, and novel discoveries for the Gulf of Mexico and other regions where GoMRI research has application. Several articles focus on lessons learned, outstanding research needs, and gaps to inform future activities and efforts. The issue is available online HERE. To download a PDF copy of the entire issue, visit HERE.

Synthesis Products

In total, nearly 50 unique products resulted from the GoMRI Synthesis effort. As illustrated, these products have a variety of target audiences.

Target Audiences for Synthesis Products

Target Audiences for Synthesis Products

Core Area 1 – Plume & Circulation Observations & Modeling

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Area 1, Plume & Circulation Observations & Modeling, focused on several physical oceanography areas of interest. Teams of GoMRI researchers collaborated to highlight research and modeling advances, and their relevance for oil transport and fate, in: 1) transport processes in the Gulf of Mexico along the river-wetland-estuary-coastal-open ocean continuum, 2) near-field, mid-field, and far-field dynamics of the plume, and 3) small-scale/near-surface/sub-mesoscale observations.

Core Area 2 – Fate of Oil & Weathering: Biological & Physical-Chemical Degradation

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Area 2, Fate of Oil & Weathering: Biological & Physical-Chemical Degradation, reviewed research advances related to several areas: methods of oil spill chemical analysis, use of genomics and proteomics, use of molecular biology tools, general exposure studies and techniques, photochemical reactions at sea and on shorelines, microbial degradation, Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation (MOSSFA), and alternative dispersant research and technologies.

Core Area 3 – Ecological/Ecosystem Impacts

GoMRI Synthesis Core Area 3, Ecological/Ecosystem Impacts, summarized research and identified gaps related to ecosystem impacts and the vulnerability and resilience of species and ecosystems to large-scale contamination events. Cross-cutting ecological impacts were investigated for several ecotypes: open-ocean, deep benthic, continental shelf, and coastal in-shore.

Core Area 4/5 – Human Health, Socioeconomic Impacts, and Ecosystem Services

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Areas 4/5, Human Health, Socioeconomic Impacts, and Ecosystem Services, translated scientific findings to develop a conceptual framework for an Operational Community Health Observing System for the Gulf of Mexico states. The concept of allostatic load was applied to the practical measurement of exposure to oil spills, further operationalizing new assessment techniques.

Core Area 6 – Microbiology, Metagenomics & Bioinformatics

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Area 6, Microbiology, Metagenomics & Bioinformatics, generated foundational ideas to advance marine microbiology and enhance understanding of microbial response to major disturbances in the ocean.

Core Area 7 – Integrated/Linked Modeling System

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Area 7, Integrated/Linked Modeling System, focused on operational oil spill modelling, including ocean, wave, and weather forecasting, and development of a systems dynamic model, which could be used for future decision-making.

Core Area 8 – Knowledge Exchange with User Communities: Lessons Learned and Operational Advice

GoMRI’s Synthesis Core Area 8, Knowledge Exchange with User Communities: Lessons Learned and Operational Advice, served as an advisory group that assisted in identifying lessons learned, promoted the effective application of GoMRI research results, and improved operational advice. The advisory group was comprised of representatives from academia, industry, the response community, government agencies, the NGO community, and other critical stakeholder groups. The members of this advisory group were routinely informed, and provided input to, the activities and results of other Core Area.

Please check back often, as there are multiple synthesis products currently in development! For a complete, and growing list of GoMRI Synthesis publications and so much more, please visit the GoMRI Publication Database.

Legacy Products

GoMRI has been a proud contributor to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science annual conferences. Click here for programs and conference reports from each year!