Influence of River‐Induced Fronts on Hydrocarbon Transport: A Multiplatform Observational Study

Androulidakis, Yannis; Kourafalou, Vassiliki H.; Özgökmen, Tamay M.; Garcia-Pineda, Oscar; Lund, Björn; Hénaff, Matthieu Le; Hu, Chuanmin; Haus, Brian K.; Novelli, Guillaume; Guigand, Cédric M.; Kang, Hee Sook; Hole, Lars Robert; Horstmann, Jochen

doi:10.1029/2017jc013514

Cited by 38 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…A map of the R/V Walton Smith and drifter tracks is shown in Figure . The drifter tracks, which correspond to a 37 day period starting on 18 April 2017, indicate diverging pathways (Androulidakis et al, ), but the vast majority remained on Louisiana's continental shelf in shallow (

<

100 m) waters.…”

Section: Data Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine X‐Band Radar Currents and Bathymetry: An Argument for a Wave Number‐Dependent Retrieval Method

et al. 2020

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This study evaluates shipboard marine X‐band radar (MR) near‐surface current and bathymetry measurements under shallow water conditions. The retrieval algorithm is based on the surface wave signal within three‐dimensional wave number frequency MR backscatter intensity variance spectra. The MR data were collected during a research cruise that investigated submesoscale processes and their impact on oil spill transport in the Louisiana Bight. The MR currents and bathymetry are validated using measurements from 500 GPS‐equipped surface drifters, a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler, and a shipboard single‐beam echo sounder. Earlier results from the same experiment but using a different set of sensors indicate strong upper ocean vertical current shear over a 3.5 hr period, despite only mild wind forcing. Here, the MR currents are derived as a function of wave number, providing a measure of vertical shear for the full duration of the cruise. Strong vertical shear is frequently observed, with a maximum difference of 0.42 m/s between the MR high (effective depth of ∼0.9 m) and low ( ∼2.4 m) wave number bins. Treating the drifter and echo sounder measurements as truth, the accuracies of the MR near‐surface currents and bathymetry are 0.04–0.07 m/s and 1.2 m (or 7% of the mean water depth). However, it is shown that ∼50% of the MR high wave number and drifter current differences is due to vertical shear. The shallow water MR near‐surface current accuracy thus matches findings from a previous deep water validation where vertical shear was much weaker.

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<

100 m) waters.…”

Section: Data Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine X‐Band Radar Currents and Bathymetry: An Argument for a Wave Number‐Dependent Retrieval Method

et al. 2020

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“…Oil leaks and accidents, such as the explosion on the DWH platform in 2010 (at 28.737 • N, 88.366 • W), have released significant quantities of hydrocarbons [6,7] in the sensitive marine environment around the MR Delta, and over the LouisianA TEXas (LATEX) and Mississippi Alabama FLoridA (MAFLA) shelves [3] (Figure 1). The present study was motivated by recent advances in the understanding of the role that salinity induced fronts and circulation areas dominated by river plume dynamics may play in the transport of hydrocarbons [3,8]. We used a comprehensive high resolution modeling system to demonstrate reliable estimates of hydrocarbon transport under the influence of all circulation driving mechanisms, with an emphasis on correctly accounting for fronts and circulation patterns due to river plume influence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Androulidakis et al [8] carried out a field experiment deploying surface drifters at different times near the Taylor Energy Site, which is located in the vicinity of the MR outflow region over the NGoM and near the DWH site (approximately at 28.938 • N, 88.978 • W, Figure 1). This multi-platform observational experiment was conducted in April 2017 to investigate the main transport pathways from the Taylor Site either toward the NGoM continental shelves or offshore, toward the Gulf interior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Near the Taylor site, the existence of multiple river fronts influenced the fate of oiled waters, preventing the transport of hydrocarbon toward the delta similar to a natural boom barrier, trapping and directing the oil either westward or eastward in agreement with Kourafalou and Androulidakis [3], who showed a similar interaction during the DWH accident using hydrodynamic numerical simulations. In situ thermohaline measurements around the Taylor Energy Site and across the river front showed that the MR plume near the Taylor Site was 5-10 m deep, while the clearer ocean water column was characterized by a 40 m upper-ocean homogeneous layer, mainly controlled by temperature [8]. Herein, we extend these observational and ocean modeling studies by conducting numerical simulations with a state-of-the-art oil spill model to investigate the river front effects on the evolution of the DWH oil spill in the summer of 2010.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The DeepWater Horizon Oil Slick: Simulations of River Front Effects and Oil Droplet Size Distribution

Hole

Dagestad

Röhrs

et al. 2019

JMSE

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The effect of river fronts on oil slick transport has been shown using high resolution forcing models and a fully fledged oil drift model, OpenOil. The model was used to simulate two periods of the 2010 DeepWater Horizon oil spill. Metocean forcing data were taken from the data-assimilative GoM-HYCOM 1/50 ∘ ocean model with realistic daily river input and global forecast products of wind and wave parameters from ECMWF. The simulations were initialized from satellite observations of the surface oil patch. The effect of using a newly developed parameterization for oil droplet size distribution was studied and compared to a traditional algorithm. Although the algorithms provide different distributions for a single wave breaking event, it was found that the net difference after long simulations is negligible, indicating that the outcome is robust regarding the choice of parameterization. The effect of removing the river outflow was investigated to showcase effects of river induced fronts on oil spreading. A consistent effect on the amount and location of stranded oil and a considerable impact on the location of the surface oil patch were found. During a period with large river outflow (20–27 May 2010), the total amount of stranded oil is reduced by about 50% in the simulation with no river input. The results compare well with satellite observations of the surface oil patch after simulating the surface oil patch drift for 7–8 days.

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“…The present study is motivated by recent advances in the understanding of the role that salinity induced fronts and circulation areas dominated by river plume dynamics may play in the transport of hydrocarbons [3,8]. We use a comprehensive high resolution modeling system to demonstrate reliable estimates of hydrocarbon transport under the influence of all circulation driving mechanisms, with an emphasis on correctly accounting for fronts and circulation patterns due to river plume influence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The DeepWater Horizon Oil Slick: High Resolution Model Simulations of River Front Effects, Initialized and Verified by Satellite Observations

Hole¹,

Dagestad²,

Röhrs³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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The effect of river fronts on oil slick transport has been demonstrated using high resolution forcing models and a fully fledged oil drift model, OpenOil. The model system is used to simulate the 2010 DeepWater Horizon oil spill. Metocean forcing data are taken from the GoM-HYCOM 1/50° ocean model with realistic river input and ECMWF global forecast products of wind and wave parameters with 1/8° resolution. The simulations are initialized from satellite observations of the surface oil patch. OpenOil includes most of the relevant processes, such as emulsification, evaporation, wave entrainment, stranding and droplet formation. The model takes account of the actual oil type and properties, using the ADIOS oil weathering database of NOAA. The effect of using a newly developed parameterization for oil droplet size distribution is studied and compared to a traditional algorithm. Although the algorithms provide different distributions for a single wave breaking event, it is found that the net difference after long simulations is negligible, indicating that the outcome is robust regarding the choice of parameterization. That indicates that the wave entrainment, vertical mixing and re-surfacing mechanisms that are part of OpenOil are more important for determining the final droplet size spectrum than the spectrum prescribed for individual wave breaking events. In both cases, the size of the droplets controls how much oil is present at the surface and hence are subject to wind and Stokes drift. The effect of removing river outflow in the ocean model is investigated in order to showcase effects of river induced fronts on oil spreading. A consistent effect on the amount and location of stranded oil is found, and considerable impact of river induced fronts is seen on the location of the surface oil patch. During a case with large river outflow (May 20-27, 2010), the total amount of stranded oil is reduced by about 50% in the simulation with no river input. The results compares well with satellite observations of the surface oil patch.

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Influence of River‐Induced Fronts on Hydrocarbon Transport: A Multiplatform Observational Study

Cited by 38 publications

References 55 publications

Marine X‐Band Radar Currents and Bathymetry: An Argument for a Wave Number‐Dependent Retrieval Method

Marine X‐Band Radar Currents and Bathymetry: An Argument for a Wave Number‐Dependent Retrieval Method

The DeepWater Horizon Oil Slick: Simulations of River Front Effects and Oil Droplet Size Distribution

The DeepWater Horizon Oil Slick: High Resolution Model Simulations of River Front Effects, Initialized and Verified by Satellite Observations

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