DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL

DESCRIPTION:
The University of Miami/RSMAS group of coastal and shelf seas modeling actively participated in the oil spill response, preparing prepares relevant forecast products in near-real time.
The circulation model used is the real time GoM-HYCOM, which has been running at the Naval Research Lab at the Stennis Space Center (NRL-SSC) since 2002 (Pat Hogan and Ole-Martin Smedstad). It provides forecasts of all hydrodynamic variables throughout the water column.
 
An example of published findings and outreach with respect to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill can be found in a recent (July 10, 2012) News Release and Science Daily article. Real time (summer 2010) media coverage of the group's work can be found here.
 
A new project has been proposed to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GOMRI). The project CONE- CONectivity controlled by Eddies: Gulf of Mexico offshore and coastal links of hydrocarbons will combine modeling and observations (including targeted field studies) to advance recently revealed transformations in the Gulf of Mexico mesoscale eddy field and their influence on Loop Current/Florida Current evolution, and hence the connectivity between offshore exploration sites and coastal areas from the Northern Gulf to the Southern Gulf and the Straits of Florida.
 
Forecast products of circulation and water particles released at the oil spill site are computed at UM/RSMAS and provided at the links below. The support of the UM Center for Computational Science is greatly appreciated.

 
RESOLUTION:
~3.5km (0.04°) or ~7km (0.08°), 20 or 26 vertical levels (isopycnic/z-coordinates in deep water, sigma coordinates over shelf)
 
NESTED:Yes

OUTER MODELS:
Boundary conditions are obtained from the HYCOM model prediction system
 
DATA ASSIMILATION:
Yes, using the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation NCODA scheme

FORCING:
Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) 1 degree

APPLICATIONS:
• Surface circulation
• Circulation at 1000m
• Particle trajectories: scenarios of alternative spill sites
• Particle trajectories: daily launches near the Deepwater Horizon location
• Particle trajectories: scenario1 launches in the Loop Current
• Particle trajectories at 400m depth - launched at the Deepwater Horizon location
• Particle trajectories below the mixed layer - launched at the Deepwater Horizon location
• Particle trajectories:scenario1 launches in the Loop Current
• Particle trajectories:scenario2 launches in the Loop Current
• Particle trajectories:scenario3 launches in the Loop Current
• Particle trajectories:scenario4 launches in the Loop Current
• Particles trajectories:hourly input at the Deepwater Horizon loation
• Particle trajectories predictions (surface): Inital locations inffered from oil patch images (July 12 to July 22)
• CONE - CONectivity controlled by Eddies: Gulf of Mexico offshore and coastal links of hydrocarbons



CONTACT:
Villy Kourafalou— vkourafalou@rsmas.miami.edu
HeeSook Kang— hkang@rsmas.miami.edu