Post Hurricane Oceanographic Sampling

[noaa logo] [aoml logo] 2005 Post Hurricane Oceanographic Sampling

Recognizing that model predictions and local observations alone will not suffice to determine the probability of downstream pollutant exposures, OAR and NMFS, in cooperation with the academic community and the State of Florida, have initiated a coordinated field observation, satellite remote-sensing and modelling effort. Shortly after the landfall of RITA, AOML scientists led a NOAA survey of the northern Gulf of Mexico aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. AOML, USF and UM oceanographers are using satellite remote-sensing data (altimetry, color and SST) and large scale hydrodynamic models to make preliminary assessments of the downstream trajectory, distribution and concentration of dissolved contaminants and toxics. September 22-24, the RV/Cape Hatteras deployed satellite-tracked open ocean SVP drifters from AOML's Global Drifter Center from the Dry Tortugas to the northern Gulf of Mexico and simultaneously surveyed currents and water quality along the track . The week of September 26, the FV/Patricia Jean deployed the first set of coastal satellite-tracked drifters along the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. Cruises in which AOML, NMFS and Florida DEP will participate will study the oceanography, provide satellite ground-truth data and analyze water quality in the Gulf of Mexico. Regional high resolution hydrodynamic models incorporating tracer simulations will be used to provide rigorous 5-7 day forecasts of downstream exposure over the three month period following the landfalls of Katrina and Rita. Essential to these efforts will be incorporation of water quality assessments being made in coastal Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas by the EPA, USGC, NOAA and regional collaborators.