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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Dr. John Elliot Reynolds passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2017. One of Reynolds many roles was co-Principal Investigator with the Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of Gulf Ecosystems (C-IMAGE) funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) conducting marine life impact studies after the Deepwater Horizon incident.
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