Investigation of surface films - Chesapeake Bay entrance

Experimental point source oil releases have been conducted in the Chesapeake Bay mouth area. Predictions of oil slick motion were tested, and slicks were sampled and analyzed to measure their aging rates over periods up to 32 hours. Remote sensing. techniques were used to detect and measure the spreading rate of oil. Some laboratory oil film aging experiments were done to further document and elucidate aging processes. Results indicate· a,reasonable motion prediction, an explanation of the non-biological initial aging of oil films, and a fair corroboration of a theoretical oil spreading model