The MODIS / Terra image taken on Saturday, May 22 shows oil slick and sheen covering 16,538 square miles (42,833 km2): Clouds and haze obscure the southeastern Gulf, but a small patch of what might be oil entrained in the Loop Current is visible. As we’ve said before, it is possible the Loop Current has […]
The MODIS / Terra image taken today shows a very faint, long belt of anomalous ocean color that appears to follow the Loop Current. We have very tentatively identified this as possible oil slick and sheen carried far to the south. Consider this a low-confidence analysis; it’s possible that the Loop Current has a distinct […]
This Envisat ASAR radar satellite image taken on May 18 shows oil slick entrained in the Loop Current and spreading out to the southeast. Slick and sheen covers 15,976 square miles (41,377 km2), about 50% larger than seen in yesterday’s MODIS image and about twice the size of New Jersey: Some of that apparent rapid […]
It’s time to revisit this subject. NOAA and BP are still saying the spill rate is 210,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) per day, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. Many in the media continue to uncritically accept this estimate. Why is it important to get this number right? This is about more than just liability, […]
Today’s MODIS / Terra satellite image is the most cloud-free we’ve seen in many days, and what it reveals is disturbing: part of the still-massive Gulf oil slick has apparently been entrained in the strong Loop Current, and is rapidly being transported to the southeast toward Florida. The total area covered by slick and sheen, […]