Earth  ID: 10562

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Released on May 27, 2010

You can learn more about NASA's satellite observations of the oil spill by visiting https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oilspill/.

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Video File: including video of the spill location (updated through April 2011) and a collection of images from NASA satellites.
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Timelapse Video: This short video reveals a space-based view of the burning oil rig, the spill, and the location through April 1, 2011. The MODIS instrument, on board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, captured images of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill began on April 20, 2010 with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. The oil slick appears grayish-beige in the images and changes due to changing weather, ocean currents, and the use of oil dispersing chemicals.
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This short video reveals a space-based view of the burning oil rig (from the MODIS instrument on board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites) and, later, the ensuing oil spill through May 24, 2010. The oil slick appears grayish-beige in the images and changes due to changing weather, ocean currents, and the use of oil dispersing chemicals. Images in the video time series were selected that show the spill most clearly.

For complete transcript, click here.

For More Information

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oilspill

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards

Credits

Jennifer A. Shoemaker (UMBC): Video Editor
Matthew R. Radcliff (UMBC): Video Editor
Jennifer A. Shoemaker (UMBC): Producer
Matthew R. Radcliff (UMBC): Producer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Images courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project (NASA/GSFC and University of Maryland - http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov)

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10562

Mission:
Terra

Data Used:
Aqua/MODIS
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Terra/MODIS
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Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

This item is part of this series:
Narrated Movies

Goddard TV Tape:
G2010-080 -- Gulf Oil Spill

Keywords:
DLESE >> Biology
DLESE >> Environmental science
SVS >> HDTV
DLESE >> Human geography
DLESE >> Physical oceanography
SVS >> Pollution
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Biosphere
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Oceans
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Human Dimensions >> Economic Resources >> Oil/Gas Production
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Human Dimensions >> Environmental Impacts >> Oil Spill
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0