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terça-feira, 27 de abril de 2010

Louisiana Oil Spill: NASA Images From Space (PHOTOS)



Oil Slick Spreads off Gulf Coast

NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of the Gulf of Mexico on April 25, 2010 using its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. With the Mississippi Delta on the left, the silvery swirling oil slick from the April 20 explosion and subsequent sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform is highly visible. The rig was located roughly 50 miles southeast of the coast of Louisiana.

The oil slick may be particularly obvious because it is occurring in the sunglint area, where the mirror-like reflection of the Sun off the water gives the Gulf of Mexico a washed-out look. Oil slicks are notoriously difficult to spot in natural-color (photo-like) satellite imagery because a thin sheen of oil only slightly darkens the already dark blue background of the ocean. Under unique viewing conditions, oil slicks can become visible in photo-like images, but usually, radar imagery is needed to clearly see a spill from space.

Image Credit: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team






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An explosion on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana began gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico on April 20th, leaking 42,000 gallons of oil into the water every day since then. NASA captured stunning satellite images of the massive spill, showing the scope of the damage that's threatening the coastlines, wildlife, and fishing areas.










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