Scientists developed a modeling framework that includes small-scale fluid dynamics to investigate how dispersant application during Deepwater Horizon may have affected oil biodegradation and the environment.
Oil, gases, and bubbles jet out together during a deep-ocean petroleum blowout, and the oil quickly breaks up into different-sized droplets. Predicting the sizes of these droplets is critical to determine how long it will take the oil to reach the ocean’s surface and the resulting oil slick’s size.
For Cheng Li, the beauty of our oceans is precious. He wants to protect that beauty by improving the tracking of and response to oil spills.
Scientists have simulated a variety of deep-sea oil spill conditions in miniature via a pair of mesocosms, an approach that bridges traditional laboratory and in situ observations.
Joseph Katz with the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is excited about his oil-related research, especially now that he can conduct experiments in a state-of-the-art facility and build upon his previous work.
Funding Supports Short-Term Continuing and Emergent Observations and Sampling of the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Gulf of Mexico