ARTIFICIAL SEA SLICKS: THEIR PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS AND ROLE IN FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH

Artificial sea slicks are man-made, monomolecular, organic films adsorbed at the air-sea interface. They are formed from spontaneously spreading, water-insoluble polar liquids. Techniques for generating artificial sea slicks from surface vessels and from the air have been devised. Research into the chemical modification of air-sea interactions has led to several practical applications for artificial sea slicks. The ability of organic surface films to damp capillary waves renders the area covered by the film highly visible and sensible under most environmental conditions. The attenutation of both capillary and high-frequency gravity waves by artificial sea slicks has been examined under open-ocean conditions. The wave-damping property has been used as a basis for the development of seamarkers that generate highly visible, persistent ripple-damped zones on the sea surface. Large artificial slicks have been used as a tool to elucidate the mechanisms of wind-wave interactions and air-sea exchange processes. The most widely used application of film-forming organic chemicals is for the control and containment of oil spills, and increasing the efficiency of oil retrieval operations. (Modified author abstract)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/NRLGO207
• Corporate Authors:

  Naval Research Laboratory

  4555 Overlook Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20375-5320
• Authors:
  • Barger, W R
  • Garrett, W D
• Publication Date: 1974-6-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Damping (Physics); Gravity waves; Oil spill cleanup; Water quality management
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil containment; Oil recovery systems
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00071710
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• ISBN: NRL-GO2-07
• Report/Paper Numbers: NRL-7751 Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 6 1974 12:00AM