Any New Satellite Photos

[quote]Today’s analysis is based on today’s (Monday) infrared, ocean color, RGB data, and SAR, Saturday’s and Sunday’s SAR, as well as, ocean color Friday-Sunday (composite included). The meso-scale Loop Current eddy continues to develop and the relatively cooler and higher chlorophyll water continues to move westward and the western boundary of this water was seen at 87°30’W & 24°15’N this morning. This westward motion had been associated with a counter-clockwise eddy last week, but today we do not see any rotation near 87°15’W & 24°15’N. Based on the recent and today’s motion we anticipate that it will take at least seven more days for there to be a distinct surface separation of the meso-scale eddy (in formation) and the Loop Current that is primarily flowing eastward from the Yucatan Channel. Subsurface verification of separation should be made as well. Today’s RGB data shows that the surface oil (olive green) has reached the counter-clockwise eddy (centered roughly near 85°45’W & 27°30’N) west of Tampa, Florida and the tip of the oil was observed near 85°50’W & 27°07’N). We have received visual confirmation of this oil from on-site sampling by Dr. Jim Franks Southern Mississippi University who described a sheen and visible oil globules, 1/8 inch to 5 inches in diameter at 86°57’W & 27°45’N and 86°54’W & 27°46’N. Based on the motion of the water west of Tampa it appears that this surface oil is anticipated to travel the same path as the subsurface oil-water-dispersant mixture that we have depicted in a gray color. The southernmost point of this subsurface mystery oil that has been moving along the eastern boundary of the Loop Current was seen today near 84°25’W & 26°20’N. This water is expected to move along the boundary of the Loop Current the next few days away from Florida. One of the issues we will be studying over the next 7-10 days is the likely behavior of the counter-clockwise eddy (85°45’W & 27°30’N) as it moves in a southeastward and southward motion as part of the Loop Current. We wonder if this eddy will:1) follow the path of the previous eddy that has been carving out the new meso-scale Loop Current eddy; or 2) will it push the Loop Current water to the eastward flowing limb of the newly forming Loop Current that is moving eastward toward the Florida Keys between 24°00’N and 24°15’N and reconnect the new forming eddy to the Loop Current; or 3) a combination of these? We also wonder what will be the fate of the oil in this eddy? Will it rotate the newly forming Loop Current eddy or go to the Straits of Florida. The surface oil continues to plague and severely damage the coastal ecosystems of Louisiana. Some reduction in the movement of the surface oil toward the coasts may come from the offshore pull of the Loop Current and circulation of the waters along the northwest side of the Loop Current. It is too early to determine how much advection of the surface oil will occur as the newly forming Loop Current eddy rotates around a center axis roughly near 87°00’W & 26°00’W. It will be several days until we see this. The “mystery” subsurface oil-water mixture located southwest of the Florida Panhandle near 86°00-15’W & 29°00-30’W appears to be moving away from the coast in two directions: 1) southeastward as pulled by the eastern side of the Loop Current; and 2) westward toward 87°00’W & 29°00’N and southward. Unless the winds dramatically change we anticipate that this motion will continue over the next several days. If you decide to use this analysis or the images contained within, please give credit to ROFFS™ and see more of our daily coverage here LINK ]

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Bussemer

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Sur e;looks like a huge arse eddy is about to break off from the Loop Current.....wonder what the models say. Thanks for the pictures.