Variability of the Deepwater Horizon Surface Oil Spill Extent and Its Relationship to Varying Ocean Currents and Extreme Weather Conditions - Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation of Oil Pollution Problems - page 2

largest increase of surface oil occurred between April 22 and May 22, at an average
rate of 1.3 10 3 km 2 per day. The largest decrease in the extent of surface oil started

on June 26, at an average rate of 4.4

×

10 3 km 2 per day. Surface oil areas larger than

×

10 3 km 2 occurred during several periods between late May and
the end of June. The southernmost surface oil extent reached approximately 85 ⓦ W
27 ⓦ N during the beginning of June. Results obtained indicate that surface currents
may have partly controlled the southern and eastern extent of the surface oil during
May and June, while intense southeast winds associated with Hurricane Alex caused
a reduction of the surface oil extent at the end of June and beginning of July, as oil
was driven onshore and mixed underwater. Given the suite of factors determining
the variability of the oil spill extent at ocean surface, work presented here shows
the importance of data analyses to compare against assessments made to evaluate
numerical models.

approximately 40 ×

J.A. Trinanes
Technological Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela Laboratory
of Systems, Campus Vida 15782, Santiago, Spain
J.A. Trinanes
National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, CoastWatch,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs,
MD 20746, USA
A. MacFadyen
Office of Response and Restoration, Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sandpoint Way, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
D. Streett
National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, Office of Satellite
and Product Operations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Camp Springs, MD 20746, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
M.J. Olascoaga
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Ocean Sciences Department,
University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
M.L. Imhoff
Pacific Northwest National Laboratorys Joint Global Change Research Institute,
5825 University Research Court, College Park, MD 20740, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
F. Muller-Karger
College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South,
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
M.A. Roffer
Roffers Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc., 60 Westover Drive, West Melbourne,
FL 32904, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]