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5 An assessment on oil spill trajectory prediction - Case study on oil
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7 spill off Ennore Port
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10 (Ennore oil spill trajectory prediction assessment)
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13 Prasad SJ1*, Balakrishnan Nair TM1, Hasibur Rahaman1, Shenoi SSC1 & Vijayalakshmi T2
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17 Abstract
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20 A Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker and a chemical tanker collided two nautical miles off
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22 Ennore port on 28 January 2017. Around 196.4 Metric Tons (MT) of Heavy Furnace Oil (HFO)
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24 was spilled and drifted towards the shore. Oil spill drift advisory and prediction was made by
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26 Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) using General National
27 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Operational Modeling Environment
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29 (GNOME), an oil spill trajectory model. The trajectory model was forced with analysed and
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31 forecasted ocean currents from Global Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) based on
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33 Modular Ocean Model 4p1 (GM4p1). It was found that spread of HFO obtained from oil spill
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35 trajectory model GNOME, has matched well with the observed spread from Sentinel -1A
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satellite dataset. However the spread of the HFO was underestimated by the trajectory model,
38 when forced with forecasted GM4p1 currents. Additional ground truth observation from coast
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40 guard also corroborates this finding.
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43 Keywords : Ennore, oilspill, trajectory, radar, fronts, GNOME.
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46 *email: prasadsj@incois.gov.in.
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ESSO- Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
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51 Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
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5 1. Introduction
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7 On 28 January 2017, 0345 hrs, Indian Standard Time (IST), BW Maple, an outbound Liquefied
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9 Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker and an inbound chemical tanker MT Dawn Kanchipuram, collided
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11 about two nautical miles (13.2282º N, 80.3633º E) off Kamarajar Port, Ennore. According to
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13 local port authority, the hull of the vessel MT Dawn was ripped, damaging the ship's
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15 accommodation as well as the pipelines on the deck. As per the information from Indian Coast
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Guard, East, this accident has resulted in the spillage of 196.4 Metric Tons of Heavy Furnace Oil
18 (HFO). The HFO spill location is shown in Figure 1. The nowcast and predictions were made
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20 for the drift of HFO, using an oil spill trajectory model, General National Oceanic and
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22 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Operational Modeling Environment (GNOME). The
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24 simulated and observed drift of HFO are compared and presented in this paper.
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27 1.1 Request from Indian Coast Guard
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30 Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Ministry of Defence, is responsible for the cleanup and mitigation of
31 the damages due to the oil spill in Indian coastal waters. A specific request came from Indian
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33 Coast Guard, Chennai, to INCOIS for providing the advisory, on the drift of spilt HFO in
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35 nowcast and forecast modes. As per ICG's request the trajectory prediction model was run with
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37 ICG's initial estimated 20 Metric Tons of HFO and the advisories were disseminated as bulletins
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39 for their clean up operations commenced after 28 January 2017 on near real time. The change in
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the quantity of the HFO due to clean up operations was not considered in modeling the drift. ICG
42 after detailed analysis reported that the actual quantity of HFO spillage was 196.4 MT. Then, to
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44 make an objective assessment, the model was re-run with this actual quantity (196.4MT) during
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46 0400 hrs of 28012017 to 2300 hrs of 05022017 to estimate the drift of spilled HFO.
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49 1.2 Oil spill trajectory prediction set up at INCOIS
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52 Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad developed a
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54 numerical modeling setup to predict the trajectory of the spilled HFO, based on prevailing,
55 forecasted winds, currents and waves in the region of spill. The core model is GNOME, an oil
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57 spill trajectory model developed by NOAA (Beegle Krause 2011). This model was adopted from
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59 NOAA and operationalised at INCOIS by customizing it in diagnostic mode for Indian ocean.
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4 The diagnostic mode allows the user to set his own scenario (Beegle Krause 2011). The model
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6 estimates the movement of oil spill as the vector sum of wind speed, current speed and diffusion
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8 turbulence. The resultant of these forcings at each and every time step gives the impetus for the
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10 oil to drift. GNOME uses three phased algorithm, in which the pollutant is treated as three
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12 component substances with independent half lives (Zelenke et al. 2012). Prasad et al. (2014)
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explained the detailed methodology adopted for predicting the trajectory of spilled oil and its
15 validation for Mumbai oil spills. In the present study the wind drift was obtained from the
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17 forecasted wind fields of European Centre for Medium weather Range Forecast (ECMWF).
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19 ECMWF winds were validated with in situ data obtained from the Automatic Weather Stations
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21 (AWS) installed on board ships. The Root Mean Square error was found to be less than 2.6 m s-1
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23 (Harikumar et al. 2012). As per the trajectory analysis handbook of NOAA,3% of wind speed is
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considered for the drift of the pollutant parcel.
26 (http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/Trajectory_Analysis_Handbook.pdf). The
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28 diffusion turbulence is based on the horizontal eddy diffusivity of ocean water and value of
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30 100,000 cm2 s-1 (Zelenke et al. 2012) was used by the present GNOME trajectory model. In the
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32 present study we have used ocean surface currents from a global assimilation system. Global
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34 Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) based on MOM4p0d adopted from NOAA/NCEP
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and operationalised at INCOIS in 2013. This system uses state of the art ocean general
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37 circulation model called Modular Ocean Model (MOM) version-4p0d and 3D-VAR assimilation
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39 technique to assimilate in situ data in the model. Temperature and salinity profiles from all in-
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41 situ observations over the global ocean are assimilated to produce the best analysis products
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43 (Ravichandran et al. 2013, Siva Reddy et al. 2015). Recently, Rahaman et al. (2015) upgraded
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45 the GODAS with MOM4p1 and have further improved the ocean analysis with this upgraded
46 version. We used this upgraded GODAS analysed and forecasted surface currents. Hereafter, the
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48 GODAS based MOM4p1 version will be referred as GM4p1.
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51 2.0 The Simulations of trajectory prediction model
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54 The simulations of the trajectory model, GNOME, was made with 196.4 MT of HFO. The
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56 trajectory model was forced with analysed forcing fields of GM4p1 on daily basis until 2300 hrs
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58 of 01022017. Figure 2 shows the nowcasted status (floating as blue dots and beached as black x
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symbols) of the spilled HFO from 0400 hrs of 28012017 to 2300 hrs of 01022017. It can be seen
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4 that ~ 6 km of coastal stretch was affected due to the HFO drift on 1400hrs of 28012017 (Figure
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6 2a). This affected area further extended towards South upto ~18 km along the coast on 2300hrs
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8 of 29012017 (Figure 2b). In the next two days, the HFO spread further South and reached near
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10 Thiruvanmiyur and Palavakkam (Figure 2c,d). Afterwards, the trajectory model was run with
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12 forecasted GM4p1 currents from 0000 hrs of 02022017 to 2300 hrs of 05022017, for which the
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forecast was issued from our laboratory on 0000 hrs of 02022017. Figure 3 shows the predicted
15 status (floating as red dots and beached as black x symbols) of the spilled HFO from 0000 hrs of
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17 02022017 to 2300 hrs of 05022017. It can be seen from Figure 3 that, HFO will drift further
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19 South of Palavakkam during 2300hrs of 02022017 to 2300hrs of 05022017. Further, ICG has
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21 reported the remnants of HFO at various coastal locations such as Ennore, Thiruvottiyur,
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23 Thiruvanmiyur and Palavakkam on 05022017. These locations were very much within the
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predicted area over which the oil spill will move. Further we have evaluated the nowcasted and
26 forecasted HFO spread with the independent satellite observation.
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29 3.0 Synthetic Aperture radar (SAR) data used for validating HFO spread
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32 The available VV (Vertical-Vertical) polarized data from space borne Synthetic Aperture Radar
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34 (SAR) sensor was obtained for the pass that occurred over Ennore region at 0600 hours (IST) on
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36 29012017 from Sentinel -1A data hub (https://scihub.esa.int/dhus/). This data was processed
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using Sentinel tool box to identify the signature of oil spill. The radar reflectance values are
39 converted to dimensionless normalized Sigma0 intensity values in Sentinel tool box. This
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41 Sigma0 values were wrote in netcdf format for identifying the oil slicks. Figure 4a shows radar
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43 reflectance from the SAR sensor. The intensity values are plotted in logarithmic scale. The low
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45 back scatter values are shown as dark blue and high values are in dark red. As per our
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47 knowledge, there is no objective criteria is available to identify HFO based on radar reflectance
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values. However typically the presence of oil shows low reflectance values over ocean water. In
50 order to identify the extent of HFO spread near to Ennore we have used radar reflectance values
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52 of -2.4 (log 0.004). This value was used based on the in-situ observations of ICG. The pixels
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54 with intensity values ≤-2.4 (≤ log 0.004), corresponds to the ICG reported locations (Ennore,
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56 Thiruvottiyur) of beached HFO slicks on 29012017. Hence they are considered as HFO slicks.
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58 However all the pixels with values less than -2.4 does not corresponds to HFO. The lower back
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scatter values can also be associated with the oceanic fronts (Lorenzzetti et al. 2008, Lyzenga et
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4 al. 2004). Macedo et al.(2015) noticed the ocean fronts in Multiscale Ultra High Resolution
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6 (MUR) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data which reflected in Envisat datasets obtained on
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8 October 15, 2009. Hence, we have analyzed the 1 km resolution SST data, from Group of High
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10 Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST https://www.ghrsst.org/ghrsst-data-
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12 services/products/) to see whether any oceanic front exists in that area. Since we could not
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acquire the concurrent SST data exactly during acquisition of SAR data, we have analysed the
15 daily averaged SST data obtained on 29 January 2017 to delineate the fronts present in the
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17 region. Figure 4b shows the spatial distribution of daily averaged SST on 29 January 2017. The
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19 presence of prominent fronts can be seen corresponds to low radar reflectance values in Figure
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21 4a. To delineate the spread of HFO, the areas covered by fronts were then excluded from the
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23 SAR data. Finally the HFO's spread is identified and marked with the black contour in Figure 4a.
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The SAR data shows that ~ 15 km of the coastline was affected by the HFO at 0600 hrs on
26 29012017 and the area affected by the oil spill works out to be ~ 105 km2.
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29 4.0 Comparison of model nowcast/ forecast with satellite observations
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32 The comparison between the trajectory obtained from analysed/forecasted GM4p1 currents and
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34 the observed oil spill signature from SAR data is shown in Figure 5. The comparison was made
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36 at the time of SAR acquisition, that is at 0600 hours on 29012017. The forecast on ocean
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currents issued from our laboratory on 0800hrs of 27012017, was used for the comparison. The
39 observed spread zone of HFO exported from SAR data is shown as black contour in Figure 5a.
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41 The spread of HFO based on analysed and forecasted currents are shown as blue and red dots
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43 respectively. The beached status of HFO on 0600 hrs of 29012017 are indicated as black x
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45 symbols. It can be seen that the offshore and the alongshore spread of HFO estimated using the
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47 analysed fields of currents compares better with the observations using SAR, than the trajectory
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predicted with the forecasted currents. The predicted spill spread captured the alongshore spread
50 of HFO, but did not capture the offshore spread. This is not surprising, considering the higher
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52 accuracies of analysed fields compared to the forecasted fields in any model. Figure 5b, shows
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54 the plot of comparison between the predicted and in-situ observed drift of HFO on 05022017.
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56 The predicted drift of HFO using forecasted GM4p1 is indicated as red dots (floating) and black
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58 x symbols (beached). The blue ellipses are the coastal locations where ICG reported the presence
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of HFO. It can be seen that the predicted spread matches very well with the observed HFO.
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5 5.0 Conclusions
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7 An oil spill occurred off Ennore port, Chennai on 28 January 2017 due to the collision of two
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9 merchant vessels. Advisories on the drift and spread of 20 MT HFO were issued, to the Indian
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11 Coast Guard on nowcast and forecast basis during 28012017 to 05022017. This advisory was
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13 based on a trajectory model GNOME. In-order to make an objective assessment, the simulations
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15 were updated with the actual spill quantity of HFO (196.4 MT). Upgraded GODAS
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analysed/forecasted currents and ECMWF winds are used to force the trajectory model. The
18 simulated trajectories match well with SAR and ICG in-situ observations. The observed along
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20 and off shore spread of the slicks were well captured by the GNOME when forced with analysed
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22 GM4p1 currents. The offshore spread was slightly underestimated while using forecasted
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24 GM4p1 currents.
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27 Acknowledgements
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30 The authors thank the officials of Indian Coast Guard, Chennai for their information on oil spill
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32 and support in validating the trajectory predictions of spilled HFO. ArcMap tool was used to plot
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and generate the trajectory output in native EPS format. Ferret software in Linux environment
35 was used to interpret the SAR data. The authors thank the Editor & Reviewers for their
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37 comments, suggestions in improving the manuscript's quality. This research paper holds the
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39 INCOIS contribution number 314.
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42 References
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47 trajectory model; International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, Vol. 2001, No. 2, 865-871.
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51 Shenoi SSC 2012 Ship-Mounted Real-Time Surface Observational System on board Indian
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53 Vessels for Validation and Refinement of Model Forcing Fields; J. Atmos. Oceanic.
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11 JACKSON, CR APEL, JR. (Eds.). Synthetic aperture radar marine user’s manual; Washington,
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15 Macedo, Carina Regina de, Lorenzzetti and Joao Antonio 2015 Numerical simulations of SAR
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47 Zelenke B, Connor CO, Barker C, Beegle-Krause J and Eclipse L 2012 General NOAA
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Figure No & Captions
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7 Figure 1
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10 Map of India along with HFO spill location near Ennore port at the East coast of India. zoomed
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12 version of the HFO spill location is also shown in the rectangular box.
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Figure 2
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17 Nowcasted HFO drift using analyzed GM4p1 currents. The black x (blue dot) denotes the
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19 beached (floating) status of drifted HFO in all the panels a) Spread of HFO on 1400 hrs of
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21 28012017 b)Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of 29012017 c) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of
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23 31012017 d) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of 01022017.
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25 Figure 3
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28 Forecasted HFO drift using forecasted GM4p1 currents. The black x (red dot) denotes the
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30 beached (floating) status of drifted HFO in all the panels a) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of
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32 02022017 b) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of 03022017 c) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of
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34 04022017 d) Spread of HFO on 2300 hrs of 05022017.
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36 Figure 4
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39 a) Logarithmic plot of radar reflectance from Sentinel-1A satellite observation on 0600hrs of
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41 29012017. The black contour line shows the HFO spread zone b) Daily averaged Sea Surface
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43 Temperature (SST in ºC) on 29012017 from GHRSST observation.
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Figure 5
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48 a) Comparison of HFO drift obtained from analyzed and forecasted currents on 0600 hrs of
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50 29012017 with satellite observation. The black contour line indicates the observed HFO spread
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52 zone obtained from SAR dataset. The blue (red) dots indicate the spread of HFO obtained from
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54 analyzed (forecasted) GM4p1 currents. The black x denotes the beached status of the HFO. b)
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Comparison of predicted HFO drift on 2300hrs of 05022017 with the in-situ observation. The
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