GoMRI eNews · Jun 14, 2016 · ← All issues
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Keeping you current on emerging Gulf science and the people investigating the effects of oil spills on the environment and public health.

June 14, 2016                                                                    GoMRI eNews

Stories

An Ocean Oil Spill Science Legacy

Unraveling the Mystery of Oil Compounds, Weathering, and Toxicity

Using Luminescent Radiation to Describe “Forgotten” PAHs

Grad Student Jaggi Seeks Solution to World’s Clean Water Shortage
As a child in India, Aprami Jaggi witnessed firsthand how polluted water sources impact society. Her desire to make water remediation her life’s work has led her from Delhi to Calgary, Canada, to study oil mitigation.

Now Available: Hydrocarbon Intercalibration Experiment Reports
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is pleased to announce the release of two reports detailing the results of the Hydrocarbon Intercalibration Experiment (HIE).

From the Archives

Scientists Coordinate Research with Responders in Santa Barbara Oil Spill

Posted on June 4, 2015
One of the most significant outcomes of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) has been the fostering of a multi-disciplinary collaborative academic community ready to put science into practice.

Study Identifies Potential Oil Degradation Signal in Coastal Waters

Posted on June 13, 2014
Scientists from Texas, Delaware, and Louisiana conducted a multiyear study examining coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico to determine if hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill had changed the water column chemistry.

Study Finds PAHs in Mississippi Seafood below Levels of Concern

Posted on June 7, 2013
Scientists studying oil impacts on fish, shrimp, crab, and oysters from coastal Mississippi waters one year post-spill found PAH levels were below Levels of Concern (LOC)

What Lies Beneath: Scientists Study Seaweed to Understand Gulf Oil Impacts

Posted on June 6, 2012
A floating mass of tangled seaweed might not look inviting, but for marine life in open Gulf waters it is critical for survival.

Publications

Study Shows Marsh Response to Moderate and Heavy Oiling Over 3.5 Years
Response of salt marshes to oiling from the Deepwater Horizon spill: Implications for plant growth, soil surface-erosion, and shoreline stability. Lin, Q.; Mendelssohn, I.A.; Graham, S.A.; Hou, A.; Fleeger, J.W.; Deis, D.R. Science of the Total Environment, 2016, 557–558:369–377

Study Characterizes Esturine Material Circulation Rate
Time scales in Galveston Bay: An unsteady estuary. Rayson, M.D.; Gross, E.S.; Hetland, R.D.; Fringer, O.B. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 2016, 121, 4, 2268–2285

Data

Current measurements from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill region, July 2013
Shipboard ADCP, underway near surface meteorology and hydrography, G04 cruise, Deepwater Horizon oil spill region, July 2013
 
Plankton and marine snow abundance and distribution for the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: June 2012 – August 2014
SIPPER plankton and marine snow abundance and distribution data for the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: June 2012 – August 2014
 
Profiles of phytoplankton in the DeSoto Canyon, May 31, 2014
Quantitative phytoplankton profiles for Pensacola Transect Station P7 collected during the R/V Bellows cruise of DeSoto Canyon, May 31, 2014

Video

GoMRI RFP-V: Spectroscopy for Specific Isomer Determination of Petroleum Oil Spills (Campiglia)

GoMRI RFP-V: Spectroscopy for Specific Isomer Determination of Petroleum Oil Spills (Campiglia)
The A Combined Analytical and Synthetic Approach Based on Line Narrowing Spectroscopy for Specific Isomer Determination of Petroleum Oil Spills project is lead by P.I. Andres D. Campiglia, University of Central Florida. This project tackles a different aspect of PAHs analysis as it focuses on detection and characterization of higher-molecular weight PAHs (HMW-PAHs), i.e. PAHs with MW equal or higher than 302 g mol-1. The HMW-PAHs isolated from environmental and combustion-related samples exhibit mutagenic activity and petroleum transformation products from HMW-PAHs persist in the environment longer than their lighter counterparts.

Announcements

The shows will broadcast at 9 PM (CST) on Biloxi, Booneville, Bude, Greenwood, Jackson, Meridian, Mississippi State, and Oxford stations. See the MBP TV schedule for details. Click here to request a screening near you.

June 24 Deadline to Submit a Scientific Session for the 2017 Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference
View the session guidelines here. Objectives should focus on restoration and recovery, oil spill response and management strategies, human dimensions, ecological impacts, long-term fate and impacts, breakdown and transport, data management, and outreach and science communications.

Job Opportunity:  LUMCON Seeks Postdoc in Phytoplankton Ecology
The position involves characterizing phytoplankton community composition and merging data to develop community analyses.

Project Activities

C-IMAGE Researcher Appears on University Beat TV
The program, a half-hour weekly segment produced by WUSF, recently invited Dr. Steve Murawski to share his thoughts on the post-Deepwater Horizon marine research and the spill’s lingering effects on the Gulf of Mexico. Check out Murawski’s clip here.
 
Get to Know CWC Scientist Anne Giblin
Dr. Giblin is a marine ecologist who is researching how oil exposure may impact and alter bacterial processes in sediments. Learn more about her research and reasons she became a scientist here!
 
Teacher-At-Sea Chronicles DEEPEND Cruise
Christia Hewlett was the official Teacher-At-Sea during the consortium’s most recent research cruise. She documented the equipment, experiences, and even the researchers on board for the DEEPEND blog. You can find all of her posts about the cruise here.
 
Pixar Event Features ECOGIG Scientist’s Research
Dr. Eric Cordes recently attended a “Science After Hours” event at the Franklin Institute promoting the upcoming Disney/Pixar film Finding Dory, where he discussed deepwater corals and shared information about shallow-water coral reefs. The Science After Hours program is an evening event series exclusively for adults 21 and over that includes experiments, demonstrations, and games curated by the museum.
 
Video Depicts How RECOVER Scientists Satellite Tag Mahi Mahi
Researchers fit spawning adult mahi with satellite tags desgined to record where the fish go and how fast they accelerate at different points. They will use this information to build a profile of mahi’s behavior during spawning and hope to expand their research to include mahi in the wild.