Monitoring of Algae Development and Oil Spills in the Offshore Waters of the Black Sea and the Sea-of-Azov

In accordance with the "Program on Prevention and Response to Man-Caused and Natural Emergency Situations in 2000-2005", approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on August 22, 2000, it was identified that one of the primary tasks is monitoring of algae development and sea pollution as a result of oil spills.

"Moniotring of Algae Development and Oil Spills in the Offshore Waters of the Black Sea and the Sea-of-Azov" was realized by ULRMC at the request of subdivisions of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

The main objectives of the project were to:

  • observe algae bloom development in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov with the help of Orbview-2 imagery, processed using NASA algorithms, over 10-days intervals,
  • observe possible oil spills using the model of oil interaction with sea water and oil patch drift trajectory calculation, adapted by URLMC in cooperation with the Ukrainian Center of Sea Ecology for the conditions of the north-western part of the Black Sea.

ULRMC conducted analysis of environmental changes in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea-of-Azov over 10-days internvals during summer, since in summer the level of chlorophil-a rises, as well as the level of suspended matter, water temperature and other indicators of the sea environmental state. As a result of the project implementation, an archive of satellite data on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov was developed on the ULRMC web-server, including geo-coded raster images of chlorophyll concentrations, derived from SeaWiFS data. Remote access to this archive via the Internet was established for the potential users.

In the process of the project implementation the following research methods have been used: satellite imagery classification, model calculation of oil properties change and oil patches migration for the conditions of the north-western part of the Black Sea, comparison GIS-analysis, and statistical methods.

In order to study algae development in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, SeaWiFS image data were processed and maps of chlorophyll and dissolved organic matters spatial distribution were developed. For this effort, both NASA algorithms and improved multispectral algorithms were used.

Because chlorophyll-a concentration is an indicator of eutrophication - the process of water enrichment with nutrients, and especially, nitrogen (ammonia and nitrites) and phosphorus - the developed maps can be used for eutrophication level evaluations, as well as assessment of fish kill risk.


[ Last updated : 01-Mar-2004 22:49 ]
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