Project Page

Oil-Marine Snow-Mineral Aggregate Interactions and Sedimentation during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Implementing Organization

University of Georgia Research Foundation

Overview

DWH Project Funding

$893,187

Known Leveraged Funding

$0

Funding Organization

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)

Funding Program

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative GoMRI Grant Program

Details

Project Category

Science

Project Actions

Physical Aspects Research

Targeted Resources

Human and/or Institutional Capacity

Project Description

We will develop a depth-dependent model of the coagulation of oil with marine particles to determine the dominant factors governing oil-particle interactions and to predict rates and timing of sedimentation of oil associated with aggregates to the sea floor. We will use detailed particle observations, including size distributions and abundances, from the NE Gulf of Mexico, and observations from sediment traps and laboratory experiments, to develop and validate the model. The model will incorporate environmental variables such as water temperature and salinity profiles. Multiple simulations will be run, varying factors that affect coagulation rates. Our goal is to build a generic framework that can be used in different locations with appropriate parameterization as part of an oil spill emergency response tool.

Contact

Adrian Burd
None
adrianb@uga.edu
Project Website
Project Partners

None

Affiliated Institutions

None

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