USING AIR- AND SPACEBO 
OIL SPILL MONITORING OF T 
Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56 
Inte: 
  
airci 
RNE REMOTE SENSING DATA FOR THE OPERATIONAL and 
HE GERMAN NORTH SEA AND BALTIC SEA s 4 
laye 
L. Tufte *, O. Trieschmann, T. Hunsánger, S. Kranz, U. Barjenbruch spec 
conc 
068 Koblenz, Germany - (tufte, trieschmann, hunsaenger, aie : 
kranz, barjenbruch)@bafg.de he 
of th 
KEY WORDS: Oceans, Monitoring, 
ABSTRACT: 
Accidental or operational marine oil discharges have 
public health. To detect oil spi 
surveillance system consists 0 
Microwave Radiometer (MWR), a Laser-Fluros 
Currently spaceborne remote sensing data is not operationa 
data can enhance the operational oil spill surveill 
Sea a combined aircraft and satellite (Radarsat-1 and Envisat 
allow a direct comparison between 
after the satellite overpass. The spatial and temporal coverage of 
detection results was conducted. 
During the campaign 97 possible oil 
aircraft (e.g. out of range, bad weather). From the 61 checked 
positives. 
The spatial coverage of the SLAR on the differe 
93% in the Baltic Sea. During one year only 32 
95%. The EEZ in the Baltic Sea is covered more th 
territorial waters of Germany is not possible. 
The integration of satellite SAR observati 
coverage of the territorial areas. This require 
surveillance flights 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Accidental or operational marine oil discharges from vessels 
have a strong impact on the marine wildlife, marine habitats, the 
economy and the public health. Oil tanker accidents (e.g. 
Prestige) receive much attention in the media and the public but 
a large amount of oil is als 
o discharged from vessels during 
their operation. The 3 main sources of illegal operational oil 
pollution from ships are ballast water, tank washing and engine 
room effluent discharges (Pavlakis et al., 2001). 
The North Sea and Baltic S 
ea are identified as "Special Sea 
Areas" according the MARPOL 73/18 convention. Within these 
areas the discharge of oil 
or oil mixture from ships is 
completely prohibited, with minor and well defined exceptions. 
2. THE GERMAN AERIAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM 
e German Federal Ministry of Transport set 
up an airborne surveillance system for monitoring the German 
territorial waters in the North Sea and Baltic Sea for oil 
discharges and marine pollution. Currently the system consists 
of two Fairchild/Dornier Do 228-212 aircraft (figure 1) 
equipped with a sophisticated sensor system consisting of a 
side-looking airborne radar (SLAR), an Infrared/Ultraviolet 
scanner (IR/UV scanner), a microwave radiometer (MWR), a 
Deom 
* Corresponding author. 
In the year 1986 th 
Radar, Satellite, Pollution, Aerial 
Ils and to guide combating efforts 
f two Do 228212 aircraft equipped with 
  
E 
ge 
a strong impact on the marine wildlife, marine habitats, the economy and the ei: 
. . . : T . | Cape 
airborne remote sensing data 1s used. The German airborne en: 
a Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR), an IR/UV Sensor, a film 
ensor and a Forward Looking Infrared Camera. [| 
lly used for oil spill monitoring in Germany. To investigate if satellite Spat 
ance in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the North Sea and Baltic 
ASAR) oil spill surveillance campaign was conducted. The results "Den 
airborne and spaceborne oil spill monitoring. Possible oil slicks were announced within 1 hour | spill 
the satellites were analysed. A statistical analysis of the oil spill Hope 
“1m 
slicks were detected by satellite but not all of the detected oil slicks could be checked by the See 
oil slicks 34 (5696) could be verified and 27 (44%) were false | + 
Mea; 
nt pollution control flight routes ranges from 33% — 65% in the North Sea and over gen 
RADARSAT-1 and 20 ENVISAT images cover the EEZ in the North Sea more than im 
an 95% by 30 RADARSAT-1 and 52 ENVISAT images. A daily coverage of the 
on may strengthen the operational oil spill surveillance in terms of a exhaustive spatial The ( 
s a continuos coordination of the satellite overpasses and the schedule of the aerial Figur 
differ 
betwe 
survei 
laser-fluoro-sensor (LFS) and photographic and video cameras. 2 flig 
The maximum endurance time of the aircraft is 5.5 h. The routes 
cruising speed is 200 knots which allows a maximum range of 
approx. 2000 km. The aircraft are operated by the Third Naval 
Air Wing. 
  
  
  
  
No 
3t 
9 8 
Figure 1. Do 228-212 aircraft ee 
The SLAR is the primary sensor for long-range detection of oil 
slicks on the sea surface (swath width approx. 60 km). The ze 
radar transmits high-frequency pulses in the X-band (9.4GHz) ; 
perpendicular to the flight direction to both sides of the aircraft. In 200 
The short range IR/UV scanner scans the sea surface below the data i; 
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