The Determination of Oil Slick Thickness By Means of Multifrequency Passive Microwave Techniques
Abstract
A technique for the remote determination of the thickness and volume of sea surface oil spills using multifrequency microwave radiometry was investigated. Aircraft-borne measurements were made at 19.3 and 31.0 or 69.8 GHz of a total of fifteen controlled marine oil spills. The microwave measurements of the oil spills of each oil type showed very similar results. The slicks formed an identifiable region with film thicknesses of a millimeter or more and containing the majority of oil which was surrounded by a very much larger and thinner slick which contained very little of the oil. Multifrequency passive microwave radiometry offers the potential to measure the distribution of oil in sea surface oil slicks, locate the thick regions, and measure their thickness and volume on an all-weather, day or night, and real time basis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 1974
- Accession Number
- ADA001302
Entities
People
- James P. Hollinger
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory