Instruments already exist that measure ocean currents, and others that measure wind, such as NASA’s QuickScat and RapidScat. But a new, airborne radar instrument developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is able to measure both.
The Deepwater Horizon event highlighted the need for more economical and ecofriendly methods to accurately track and study ocean currents. Scientists with the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment II (CARTHE II) spent two years testing different structures and materials to develop a practical, cost-efficient, and biodegradable drifter design.
After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, many Gulf residents wanted to know where the oil was going and how fast it would get there. Conor Smith is improving the accuracy and turn-around time of satellite-derived surface current velocity estimates for better ocean transport information.
Scientists with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi compared the accuracy and reliability of real-time ocean modeling forecast systems for near-surface currents.
Researchers are deploying drones and sensors off the Florida coast to predict the impact of the next Deepwater Horizon.
As the Globalstar transmission shut down approaches, ending the GPS data collection phase of CARTHE’s Grand Lagrangian Deployment (GLAD), the team is still collecting data from the largest upper-ocean dispersion experiment of its kind.
Throughout the month of June, the Gulf of Mexico was teeming with GoMRI-funded scientists conducting oil-spill related research. For some of the research teams Tropical Storm Debbie provided additional challenges, requiring some schedule changes.
Understanding oceanic flows in the Gulf of Mexico could be a game changer for emergency responders the next time there is an oil spill. Responders need quick, reliable information to figure out where oil goes and how fast it gets there. Yet advancement in predictive accuracy requires ambitious and innovative science.