Scientists conducted rolling table experiments to improve our understanding of how marine oil snow forms and to provide input parameters for models that predict oil transport via sinking marine snow.
Researchers optically tracked 600 biodegradable bamboo plates floating in the Gulf of Mexico for 2.5 hours to better understand how small-scale currents (scales of minutes and meters) affect surface dispersion.
Scientists employed autonomous underwater vehicle-borne seismo-acoustics and photography to provide insights into the origins, dynamics, and evolution of an active hydrocarbon seep in the Green Canyon Lease Block 600.
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is pleased to announce a new Sea Grant publication that discusses various ways that oil exposure can impact mangroves, which have partially submerged root systems that make them especially sensitive to contaminants.
Posted on February 1, 2019
Scientists completed the first time-series study (2007-2016) of Gulf of Mexico deep-sea fishes and their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) following Deepwater Horizon.
Posted on February 2, 2018
Researchers simulated the sinking of marine particle aggregates in oil-dispersant mixtures to assess how Corexit chemical dispersant affects specific biological processes involving marine oil snow formation. The team found that Corexit could significantly enhance or inhibit marine oil snow formation depending on application timing and location and interactions with other water column compounds, making its influence difficult to predict.
Dataset for: Molecular-Level Composition and Acute Toxicity of Photosolubilized Petrogenic Carbon -- data link
Ocean currents measured by Shipboard Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (SADCP) during the R/V Point Sur cruise PS18_28 in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2018-06-21 to 2018-06-28 -- data link
Sea Grant Publication Explains How Oil Spills Affect Mangroves
Read Impacts of Oil on Mangroves to learn about four types of impacts that mangroves may experience depending on how oil accumulates along shorelines. Also included are ways to protect mangroves, what history tells us about mangrove recovery, and issues related to restoration of damaged mangroves.
Project Activities
CARMMHA Blog Highlights Novel Method for Aging Wild Dolphins
Previous methods for measuring a dolphin’s age typically involved removing its tooth and counting the growth layers within, similar to tree rings. The consortium collaborated with researchers at L'Oceanogràfic, a Spanish oceanarium, to design an effective, less-invasive aging method using X-rays of the animal’s pectoral flippers. Read the post to learn how this new method can help researchers assess the health of free-range dolphin populations.
