RADARSAT for oil spill trajectory model

This work introduces a new approach for utilizing RADARSAT data for oil slick detection and oil slick trajectory model in the coastal water of Malacca Straits. The concept of the study involves two sub-models. The first model contains texture algorithms for oil slick automatic detection. The second model contains the oil slick trajectory forecasting model. The oil slick trajectory model contains the integration between Doppler frequency shift model and Lagrangian model. Doppler frequency shift model is implemented to simulate tidal current pattern from RADARSAT data, while the Lagrangian model is, used to predict oil slick spreading pattern. The classical Fay's algorithm was implemented in the two models to simulate the oil slick trajectory movement. The results of this study are for a specific RADARSAT image in Malacca Straits and not a generalization for all oil slick incidents. The study shows that the entropy and homogeneity texture algorithms are appropriate for oil slick detection. The results shows that oil slick length is effected by the tidal current V component which had a maximum velocity of 1.4 m/s. The tidal current V component moved towards the north direction. The oil slick trajectory path is moved towards the coastline due to the effect of the tidal current U component. The oil slick approached the coastline within 48 h. In conclusion, RADARSAT HH polarization data can image the oil slick by using the entropy texture algorithm. The forecasting of oil slick trajectory movement can be detected by the integration of Fay's algorithm model and Doppler frequency shift model. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.