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SEMINAR: Observations on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and Ocean Observing Systems

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Today's date is Friday, March 29, 2024
Observations on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and Ocean Observing Systems : SESE and Oceans Institute Seminar Special Seminar Other events...
The Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in perhaps the swiftest and largest response by the oceanographic community in history to a single incident. An ocean observing system was created on the fly from many disparate parts. Happenstance and my research history gave me a unique perspective on the process. Within weeks of the fire and collapse of the rig, multiple research vessels were on site collecting data on oil at the surface and in a deep plume that extended to the southeast of the site for kilometers. Venerable techniques of CTD profiling from research vessels were used to map the extent of the deep oilplume using transmissometers, CDOM fluorometers and dissolved oxygen sensors. Much of this data is now available on the web and is being presented in scientific papers. However, QA/QC is still ongoing. At the same time, a fleet of gliders were deployed across the Gulf and the newest oceanographic technologies began reporting data immediately to the web. Instant analysis and discussion ensued.

For all the technological hurdles that were surmounted, the truth is that the oceanographic community in the United States was not prepared to react as effectively as we could have. A glaring lack is an accessible and comprehensive oceanographic monitoring system that would provide the framework to respond with both technological and human resources. The Australian IMOS is from my perspective one of the leading efforts to create such a system. Where IMOS is going is still very much the frontier and the lessons learned will have enormous value around the world and for many years to come.
Speaker(s) Ian Walsh, Senior Oceanographer and VP Sales and Marketing. WET Labs Inc, USA
Location Oceans Institute Seminar Room, 39 Fairway (entry off Edward Street) Crawley
Contact Lorraine Dorn <[email protected]> : 3701
URL http://www.sese.uwa.edu.au/internal/seminar
Start Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:00
End Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00
Submitted by Lorraine Dorn <[email protected]>
Last Updated Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:50
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