CONE - Connectivity controlled by Eddies: Gulf of Mexico offshore and coastal links of hydrocarbons

Oil spill response and follow up studies CONE - CONectivity controlled by Eddies: Gulf of Mexico offshore and coastal links of hydrocarbons

This comprehensive, observational and modeling study has been proposed to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) and, if funded, will commence in fall 2012. The study is expected to be a break-through in the understanding of the Gulf of Mexico oceanography and will provide unprecedented details in the processes that control the transport and fate of hydrocarbons. CONE will focus on the role of Loop Current Frontal Eddies in both retention and advection of hydrocarbons and their role on the connectivity between oil discharge sites and coastal areas, both local and remote; such studies are not included in the currently funded GoMRI Consortia.
The multi-year expertise of the research group will be fundamental for the success of CONE; see selected recent publicationshere.
Future links include:
CONE research highlights; CONE Collaborations with GoMRI Consortia; CONE International Collaborations; CONE Education & Outreach

EXAMPLE

DESCRIPTION:
 Oil entrainment in a merged cycloneduring the Deepwater Horizon incident (event days: May 18-20, 2010): data derived oil patch (left, from Walker at al., 2011); model oil spill simulation (middle, based on methodology by the UM/RSMAS coastalmodeling group, see Mariano et al., 2011) showing 7 day forecast starting May 13 from observed oil patch (right), background is model SSH, colors are days it takes to reach the indicated location (4-8 days shown).

CONTACT:
Villy Kourafalou — vkourafalou@rsmas.miami.edu
Matthieu Le Henaff — mlehenaff@rsmas.miami.edu