Models indicate Gulf oil spill may be in major current
By JASON DEAREN (AP) NEW ORLEANS — Researchers tracking the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say computer models show the black ooze may have already entered a major current flowing toward the Florida Keys, and are sending out a research vessel to learn more. William Hogarth, dean of the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science, told The Associated Press Sunday that one model shows that the oil has already hit the loop current, which is the largest in the Gulf. The model is based on weather, ocean current and spill data from the U.S. Navy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among other sources. Hogarth said a second model shows the oil is 3 miles from the current — still dangerously close. The current flows in a looping pattern in the Gulf, through the area where the blown-out well is, east to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
We need to empower the creative capacity of the entire world to efficiently develop solutions to this crisis. I think a good way to do that is through use of a wiki like Wikipedia. http://oilspill.wikia.com is a site doing that but is not well known. The best solution is for the Unified Command to set up such a wiki and we should all call our reps in congress and demand as much. We should also demand that all relevant engineering data be released to give the motivated engineers and laypeople alike the information they need to develop the best solutions.
Not until we’ve done these things and empowered the collective intellect of the world can we begin to say all resources have been brought to bare on the crisis.