Monitoring marine oil pollution using AVHRR data: observations off the coast of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during January 1991

In support of a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiative to assess the impact of marine oil pollution during the conflict over Kuwait, a time series of five Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) scenes recorded during January 1991 was analysed. Evidence of the oil slick was observed adjacent to the Mina al Ahmadi oil terminal at Sea Island and close to the Kuwaiti coastline. The identification of the slick was supported by negative results from cloud tests, by the observation that it was warmer than the sea at night and cooler by day, and by its juxtaposition with the known source at Sea Island. The extent of the slick was determined using a thermal threshold, and its trajectory mapped over one week. The slick appeared to extend over 144 km2 on 29 January. This experience suggests that AVHRR can be a useful data source for slick monitoring, particularly when airborne reconnaissance is difficult.