GoMRI eNews · May 19, 2015 · ← 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.

May 19, 2015                                                                    GoMRI eNews

Stories

Grad Student Johansen Counts Bubbles to Understand Natural Oil Seeps

Caroline Johansen laughs when her family tells others that her research involves counting bubbles. But the bubbles she studies come from seeps at the bottom of the Gulf and contain naturally-occurring hydrocarbons that are an important part of the deep-sea ecosystem.

Grad Student Temkin Links Dispersant Component with Fat Cell Differentiation

Unhealthy diet and inactivity are the first things that people think about that cause obesity. However, Alexis Temkin is finding an unexpected potential contributor to increased fat cell production: a component in dispersants used for oil spill cleanup and many personal care products.

Research on Oil Biodegradation and Monitoring that Informs Spill Response

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the remediation efforts that followed raised many concerns about impacts on coastal and ocean environments.
 

From the Archives

Study Evaluates Synthetic Aperture Radar as Oil Spill Detection Tool

Posted on May 19, 2014
A group of scientists led by the Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS) of the University of Miami recently published an overview of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) as a tool to identify oil slicks on the ocean surface using satellite imagery.

Study Shows Bacteria Contributed to Consumption of 200,000 tons of Oil and Gas

Posted on May 17, 2013
Scientists who tracked deep underwater oil and gas plumes after the Deepwater Horizon incident concluded that the respiration of dissolved and trapped hydrocarbons resulted in reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations from a bloom of hydrocarbon-eating bacteria.

Publications
Study Demonstrates Oil Aggregates Encourage Growth and Transformation of Oil-Degrading Microbes
Oil-derived marine aggregates - hot spots of polysaccharide degradation by specialized bacterial communities. Arnosti, C.; Ziervogel, K.; Yang, T.; Teske, A. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 2014, online doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.12.008
 
Study Suggests Choline May Enhance Hydrocarbon Degradation in Sediment 
Enhancing the biodegradation of oil in sandy sediments with choline: A naturally methylated nitrogen compound. Mortazavi, B.; Horel, A.; Anders, J.S.; Mirjafari, A.; Beazley, M.J.; Sobecky, P.A. Environmental Pollution, 2013,182, 53–62
 
Study Tests Nesting of Unstructured and Structured Grid Models for Coastal Ocean Circulation Modeling

Announcements
The Sierra Club (Acadian Group) and the University of Louisiana Lafayette Anthropology Society will host this free, public seminar. Scientists will present research on oil-dispersant mixtures and the development of alternate dispersant systems.
 
The deadline to submit a session proposal is June 14, 2015. The conference theme is “One Gulf: healthy ecosystems, healthy communities.” Submit session proposal here. Get latest conference news here. 

Project Activities
C-IMAGE Researchers Featured on Tampa Bay Radio Program
Steve Murawski, David Hollander, and Isabel Romero discussed on-going oil spill research and recovery efforts on Florida Matters radio show’s recent “5 Years Later: BP Oil Spill” episode. Listen here!

CARTHE and RECOVER Researchers Team Up in Sea Secrets Lecture Series
On April 16, CARTHE director Tamay Ozgokmen and RECOVER scientist Ed Mager presented “Five Years Later, What Do We Know?” to discuss oil spill impacts, advances in oil spill research, and which questions still need answers.

CWC Hosts Upcoming Gulf Lagniappe Workshop on Barrier Islands
On May 23, Lagniappe participants will learn about the formation, importance, and ecology of the barrier islands and visit sites located off of the Isle Derniere island chain. Register now!
 
CONCORDE Prepares for Upcoming AUV Jubilee
The AUV Jubilee will take place this July and will coordinate various research efforts to increase our understanding of physical and biological processes in the Gulf of Mexico, including a five-day teacher professional development program.
 
DEEPEND Hosts Information Booth at Motion for the Ocean 5K
The DEEPEND Consortium outreach team held an information booth during the Motion for the Ocean 5K to discuss DEEPEND research with runners and citizens and show off some strange deep-sea creatures.

ECOGIG Researcher Answers Oil Spill Questions Aboard Nautilus Cruise
In this short video from the Nautilus Live cruise, Erik Cordes discusses the impacts of oil on deep water Gulf ecosystems. You can keep up with the live cruise here!