WHOI. Observational platforms included satellites, aircraft, ships and 

 buoys. Each of the participating groups conducted multifaceted operations 

 and used different techniques. These are described in the sections that 

 follow. 



2.1.1 Airborne Operations 



Observations were made from the Landsat II, NOAA, and GEOS satellites, 

 and from various government aircraft operated by the USCG, NASA, NOAA, as 

 well as private aircraft sponsored by the SOR Team, EPA, and AMSI. Details 

 on these overflights are given in Appendix VI. In general, weather condi- 

 tions at the site of the wreck were unfavorable for most of these activities. 

 Winds were typically greater than 20 knots and at times in excess of 40. 

 Only on a few days was the cloud base higher than 1000 feet; mostly it was 

 500 feet or less. To the east of the shoals heavy clouds covered the Contin- 

 ental Shelf and Slope out past the Gulf Stream 90% of the time. Icing condi- 

 tions severely limited aircraft operations on several days. 



Only a few satellite passes provided useful information because of the 

 cloud cover. Also, the resolutions of all satellites, except possibly Land- 

 sat, prohibit the actual tracking or mapping of oil. Infrared (IR) imagery 

 from the NOAA and GOES satellites was very limited, and only small portions 

 of the Gulf Stream could be delineated on it. 



The USCG supported the SOR Team and other activities by supplying air- 

 craft logistics in HU-16E fixed-wing aircraft and H-3 helicopters. The HU- 

 16E missions were primarily for mapping the extent of the oil, while the H-3 

 missions were generally aimed at measuring transport processes. All missions 

 were multipurpose. 



The USCG mapping effort was coordinated by J. Deaver of the USCG Oceano- 

 graphic Unit and consisted of a "real-time" description obtained by visual 

 and IR observations, as well as photographic recordings that will eventually 

 refine the real-time effort. In addition to its contribution to the research 

 effort, this real-time work will prove vital to the assessment of any immedi- 

 ate and long-term impacts. 



The usee's first mapping flight was on December 17, 1976, and included 

 two SOR Team members. This flight permitted visual, photographic, and video- 

 tape observations of the site of the wreck, current measurements, and two 

 transects of IR sea surface temperature before weather caused termination of 

 the flight. The next day a more extensive survey was conducted which in- 

 cluded differential velocity measurements (oil/water), current measurements, 

 sea surface temperature measurements, as well as oil surveillance. At the 

 conclusion of this flight, the Federal-On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) and the SOR 

 Team concluded that continuing real-time reconnaissance was essential to 

 scientific as well as operational goals. Daily mapping operations were con- 

 ducted until January 5, 1977, except when interrupted by severe weather on 

 December 28 and 29, 1976, and by an engine failure on December 30. Addi- 

 tional mapping flights were flown in January on an irregular basis. Ob- 

 servers on all these flights included both USCG Oceanographic Unit and SOR 

 Team personnel, with the USCG personnel operating all the equipment. 



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