Satellites Capture Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Spread

According to Associated Press on Monday 17th May 2010, scientists are worried that huge plumes of crude could get caught in a warm current that would carry the mess towards the Florida Keys and beyond, damaging coral reefs and killing wildlife. Once the oil moves into the current loop, it would take ten days to reach the Keys. The current can draw the crude through the Keys and then up to Florida's Atlantic shores, washing up around Palm Beach.

The response actions to remove the oil spill are still ongoing. According to the RIA-Novosti, "most fantastic ideas are proposed - from a gigantic sarcophagus to a plug made of car tires. However, nothing can now stop the distribution of the oil spill: it enlarged five times for the past few days and if earlier its size was compared to the island of Jamaica, today it is matched in size with a European country, such as Slovakia, for example".

At least 5,000 barrels of oil is getting into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico every day. Operational satellite images of the disaster area can ensure the acquisition of updated and reliable information about the acreage and drift of the spill.

Currently the oil spill is captured both by optical and radar RS satellites: Terra (USA), WorldView-2 (USA), TerraSAR-Х (Germany), RADARSAT-2 (Canada) and others. RADARSAT-1/2 space vehicles, being operated by the Canadian MDA company, ensure the largest possible coverage (300-500km swath width) and a high revisit period. TerraSAR-X satellite (Operator - Infoterra) enables to get radar data of the highest spatial resolution (up to 1m).

WorldView-2 - is the first commercial submeter resolution satellite with 8 spectral bands. First published WorldView-2 color images of the Gulf of Mexico water pollution illustrate the possibility to increase the probability of oil spills detection using a combination of new spectral bands.

Picture 1 of 7 The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (marked in yellow). Terra MODIS data, acquired on April 25, 2010 (NASA, 2010) first prev next last

First you drop a large concrete containment chamber over the entire leak. This pyramid type chamber will be 10 feet thick and will be anchored at no less than 12 pre drilled anchor tabs built on the pyramid. Huge anchor bolts 100 feet long will hold the pyramid in place at the site of the tabs on the edges of the pyramid. At the top of the pyramid will be a new valve to capture the free flowing oil. This new valve will have the capability of being replaced as needed. Until the oil quits flowing, which my be hundreds of years, The replaceable valves and the replaceable chambers can be used to contain the oil. If the first chamber doesn't contain the oil leak, a second even larger chamber will be placed over the first one. And so on and so on... With all the previous instructions to be followed. Until the leak is contained... Eddie Pitts - 18/06/2010 - 04:34