AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Editors' Highlight

Natural oil seepage into the Gulf of Mexico occurs more often than previously thought

Crude oil from natural seeps accounts for about half of the oil entering the marine environment. However, our knowledge of when, where, and how frequently seeps occur is still poor. Most past studies have used synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which is costly and limited by coverage. Instead, Hu et al. (2009) used data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to detect and quantify oil slicks. The satellite sensors provide several images per week at no cost to the public. Focusing on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, the authors concluded that the slicks were the result of natural seepage from the ocean floor. They also found a much higher occurrence of oil slicks than was previously thought. Over 160 slicks were seen in one image from May 2006. Their proof-of-concept study shows the unique value of MODIS in observing natural oil slicks under Sun glint even in the clearest ocean waters. The authors expect that such research will help coastal communities improve their management of resources as well as aid responders after oil spills caused by ship or oil platform accidents.

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