Direction of drift of surface oil with wind and tide |
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| Authors: | N M Ridgway |
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| Institution: | New Zealand Oceanographic Institute, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research , Wellington, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | The directions of surface oil slicks spreading from the wreck of t.e.v. Wahine during April 1968 are compared with predicted movements of surface water obtained by the vectorial addition of wind‐induced surface currents and tidal currents. Wind factors of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% of recorded surface wind speeds were used to calculate wind‐induced currents which were assumed to be in the same direction as the wind. The observed oil slick movements correspond best with the resultants obtained using a 3–5% wind factor, 60–64% of these falling within ± 20° of the observed directions of the oil slicks. Possible sources of error in the method are discussed and an example is given to illustrate how the method might be used to predict movements of surface oil resulting from an oil spillage. |
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