DYNAMICS OF CONTAINED OIL SLICKS

An oil slick contained on the surface of a flowing stream may be divided into two zones of influence; a frontal region where dynamic forces are dominant and a viscous zone where viscous stresses determine the form of the slick. It is shown that the frontal thickness of an oil slick can be expressed as a function of a densimetric Froude number based on properties of the stream and the density of the oil. Dynamic effects cause the interface to become unstable when the densimetric Froude number exceeds a critical value and retention of a slick under such conditions becomes impossible.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Wilkinson, D L
• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 1013-30
• Serial:
  • Journal of the Hydraulics Division
  • Volume: 98NH
  • Issue Number: Y6
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Oil spills
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil spill behavior
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00034911
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 27 1973 12:00AM