Abstract
The mechanical action of breaking waves and turbulence cause oil to break up into small droplets and diffuse in the water column. The droplet size is important in view of the dispersion stability, the interaction with marine life, and the uptake by sediment.
Laboratory measurements were performed on the droplet size distribution in various conditions. Turbulence was generated in the laboratory test facility by an oscillating grid, at the same energy levels as turbulence in the surf zone, coastal zone and deep-sea zone.
The droplet size distributions observed were strongly dependent on the turbulence energy level (d ~ E-0.50) and on the duration of the turbulent state. Other distinct parameters were the oil type, weathering state and temperature, all being reflected in the single parameter of viscosity (d ~ v 0.34). The droplet size was independent of the salinity of the water, and the oil concentration. The droplet size distribution was similar for droplets generated from submerged oil lumps and those generated from a surface layer.
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© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
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Delvigne, G.A.L. (1987). Droplet Size Distribution of Naturally Dispersed Oil. In: Kuiper, J., Van Den Brink, W.J. (eds) Fate and Effects of Oil in Marine Ecosystems. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3573-0_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3573-0_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8098-9
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