Finite element model of residual currents and oil spills transport

Oil spill movements can be modelled from Radarsat images. Radarsat data are recognized as a good tool for oil spills detection and modelling. In doing so, the finite element model of Doppler shift frequency was applied in order to investigate water movements from Radarsat images. The ground data of tidal elevation was used to simulate the real current velocities. The simulated current was correlated with current patterns modeled from Radarsat image. The residual current in the Malacca Straits are dominated by tide-forcing. In this study, the oil spills transport model included surface spreading and the effects of horizontal residual current movements. The results show that the oil spills spread as an ellipse in the direction of the major axis of residual current ellipse. The residual current of tidal components suggested that the oil spill transport in the Malacca Straits is function of tidal flood towards the north direction. It can be said that the modelling of residual current from Radarsat data could be good tools for oil spill transport.