of oil and hazardous substances and to remove such discharges from 

 the navigable waters of the Unites States, the adjoining shorelines, 

 and the waters of the contiguous zone. 



Detection of and response to oil and hazardous materials 

 discharges into the marine environment is the responsibility of 

 USCG. As an aid in detecting oil spills USCG has equipped six HU- 

 16E aircraft with a remote-sensing system that can sense, display, 

 and record electromagnetic radiation from oil and hazardous 

 substances in the thermal infrared and ultraviolet regions of the 

 electromagnetic spectrum. USCG is conducting twice weekly aerial 

 surveillance flights with these and other non-sensor-equipped 

 aircraft over portions of the territorial waters of the United States, 

 the contiguous zone, and random flights over the prohibited zones 

 designated by the Convention on the Prevention of the Pollution of 

 the Sea by Oil, as amended. In addition aerial surveillance flights 

 have recently been initiated over port areas handling more than 10 

 million tons of petroleum per year. This sensor system was the result 

 of an effort to have sensors in the air as soon as possible, using the 

 best equipment available at the time. 



A more advanced system has now been developed for USCG use 

 aboard the aircraft chosen to replace the HU-16E. The newer system 

 is to be flight tested and evaluated in 1974. The sensors to be 



The multi-sensor oil detection concept calls for the use of aircraft with side 

 looking radar to detect and map oil spills. Multispectral scanners, microwave 

 radiometers, and low light-level TV will enable verification of the spills and 

 identification of ships involved. 



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