months into the Gulf Coast BP oil spill recovery it appears as though most of
recovery it appears as though most of
recovery it appears as though most of the oil has disappeared but there are
the oil has disappeared but there are
the oil has disappeared but there are still heavily oiled areas some of the
still heavily oiled areas some of the
still heavily oiled areas some of the hardest hit places now show only
hardest hit places now show only
hardest hit places now show only scattered tar balls and other traces but
scattered tar balls and other traces but
scattered tar balls and other traces but dig a bit and it is their oil hit Grand
dig a bit and it is their oil hit Grand
dig a bit and it is their oil hit Grand Isle Louisiana early and often Tulane
Isle Louisiana early and often Tulane
Isle Louisiana early and often Tulane University researcher Brad Rosenheim and
University researcher Brad Rosenheim and
University researcher Brad Rosenheim and his students visited soon after oil
his students visited soon after oil
his students visited soon after oil washed ashore and they’ve been returning
washed ashore and they’ve been returning
washed ashore and they’ve been returning frequently to study the changes we’re
frequently to study the changes we’re
frequently to study the changes we’re getting to a point now or even when we
getting to a point now or even when we
getting to a point now or even when we dig these trenches the oil is hard to
dig these trenches the oil is hard to
dig these trenches the oil is hard to recognize by by our naked eye it blends
recognize by by our naked eye it blends
recognize by by our naked eye it blends in with other layers of organic carbon
in with other layers of organic carbon
in with other layers of organic carbon that one would expect in such a dynamic
that one would expect in such a dynamic
that one would expect in such a dynamic environment the team is studying the
environment the team is studying the
environment the team is studying the weathering of the oil in different
weathering of the oil in different
weathering of the oil in different environments and as various processes
environments and as various processes
environments and as various processes break down the oils chemicals
break down the oils chemicals
break down the oils chemicals rosenheim is using a different measure
rosenheim is using a different measure
rosenheim is using a different measure to identify the oil isotopes
to identify the oil isotopes
to identify the oil isotopes hydrocarbons are made up of hydrogen and
hydrocarbons are made up of hydrogen and
hydrocarbons are made up of hydrogen and carbon chemically but carbon is made up
carbon chemically but carbon is made up
carbon chemically but carbon is made up of different isotopes meaning different
of different isotopes meaning different
of different isotopes meaning different numbers of neutrons in the carbon as is
numbers of neutrons in the carbon as is
numbers of neutrons in the carbon as is hydrogen so we can potentially have a
hydrogen so we can potentially have a
hydrogen so we can potentially have a carbon hydrogen bond that has several
carbon hydrogen bond that has several
carbon hydrogen bond that has several different isotopes attached to it
different isotopes attached to it
different isotopes attached to it looking for unique isotopes means
looking for unique isotopes means
looking for unique isotopes means scientists can identify the oil even
scientists can identify the oil even
scientists can identify the oil even after it has broken down over time
after it has broken down over time
after it has broken down over time what we’re looking at is to see what
what we’re looking at is to see what
what we’re looking at is to see what chemicals stick around the longest and
chemicals stick around the longest and
chemicals stick around the longest and also probably more importantly as to
also probably more importantly as to
also probably more importantly as to isotopically fingerprints some of the
isotopically fingerprints some of the
isotopically fingerprints some of the breakdown chemicals that would get
breakdown chemicals that would get
breakdown chemicals that would get incorporated into different parts of the
incorporated into different parts of the
incorporated into different parts of the ecosystem isotopically we may have a
ecosystem isotopically we may have a
ecosystem isotopically we may have a better chance at tracking that oil
better chance at tracking that oil
better chance at tracking that oil through the next several years than we
through the next several years than we
through the next several years than we would with just a chemical approach
would with just a chemical approach
would with just a chemical approach because of course it’s going to change
because of course it’s going to change
because of course it’s going to change chemically as Rosenheim studies the oil
chemically as Rosenheim studies the oil
chemically as Rosenheim studies the oil colleague dean Mousavi and his students
colleague dean Mousavi and his students
colleague dean Mousavi and his students study changes to the island itself
study changes to the island itself
study changes to the island itself they’ve been measuring erosion and
they’ve been measuring erosion and
they’ve been measuring erosion and buildup of the beach for three years
buildup of the beach for three years
buildup of the beach for three years they regularly visit the same spots and
they regularly visit the same spots and
they regularly visit the same spots and measure elevation of the beach along
measure elevation of the beach along
measure elevation of the beach along transects out to the water and the
transects out to the water and the
transects out to the water and the island may change after the spill and
island may change after the spill and
island may change after the spill and cleanup activity back when the Exxon
cleanup activity back when the Exxon
cleanup activity back when the Exxon Valdez spill occurred in Alaska there
Valdez spill occurred in Alaska there
Valdez spill occurred in Alaska there was tremendous concern for the wildlife
was tremendous concern for the wildlife
was tremendous concern for the wildlife at Exxon and companies
at Exxon and companies
at Exxon and companies contracted went to great lengths to try
contracted went to great lengths to try
contracted went to great lengths to try to clean the rocky beaches and coves of
to clean the rocky beaches and coves of
to clean the rocky beaches and coves of Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound they used high-pressure water washes
they used high-pressure water washes
they used high-pressure water washes they use dispersants they use various
they use dispersants they use various
they use dispersants they use various means to try to break up the oil clean
means to try to break up the oil clean
means to try to break up the oil clean the oil off of the rocks in many cases
the oil off of the rocks in many cases
the oil off of the rocks in many cases they found that the efforts to clean the
they found that the efforts to clean the
they found that the efforts to clean the system actually were more harmful than
system actually were more harmful than
system actually were more harmful than the oil itself had been because of the
the oil itself had been because of the
the oil itself had been because of the physical disturbance of the system here
physical disturbance of the system here
physical disturbance of the system here on Grand Isle BP has learned lessons
on Grand Isle BP has learned lessons
on Grand Isle BP has learned lessons from that sea they’re taking a much more
from that sea they’re taking a much more
from that sea they’re taking a much more cautious approach in terms of cleaning
cautious approach in terms of cleaning
cautious approach in terms of cleaning the sand they have what looked like
the sand they have what looked like
the sand they have what looked like giant combines that sift through the
giant combines that sift through the
giant combines that sift through the sand capturing materials that are
sand capturing materials that are
sand capturing materials that are sticking together which are presumably
sticking together which are presumably
sticking together which are presumably contaminate with oil all those a way to
contaminate with oil all those a way to
contaminate with oil all those a way to be steam cleaned treated to remove the
be steam cleaned treated to remove the
be steam cleaned treated to remove the oil and then the sand is returned to the
oil and then the sand is returned to the
oil and then the sand is returned to the beach now that process is meant to be
beach now that process is meant to be
beach now that process is meant to be benign and for the most part it is but
benign and for the most part it is but
benign and for the most part it is but you are still driving large vehicles
you are still driving large vehicles
you are still driving large vehicles back and forth over the beach you are
back and forth over the beach you are
back and forth over the beach you are disrupting whatever stratigraphy is
disrupting whatever stratigraphy is
disrupting whatever stratigraphy is there you’re returning material that has
there you’re returning material that has
there you’re returning material that has been sterilized
been sterilized
been sterilized if Mousavi and other researchers
if Mousavi and other researchers
if Mousavi and other researchers studying the gulf coast topography find
studying the gulf coast topography find
studying the gulf coast topography find unexpected changes they suspect are
unexpected changes they suspect are
unexpected changes they suspect are linked to the oil spill they will need
linked to the oil spill they will need
linked to the oil spill they will need concrete evidence to determine whether
concrete evidence to determine whether
concrete evidence to determine whether the oil or cleanup played a role that’s
the oil or cleanup played a role that’s
the oil or cleanup played a role that’s where Mousavi and rosin Himes research
where Mousavi and rosin Himes research
where Mousavi and rosin Himes research can be vital now we’re going to see some
can be vital now we’re going to see some
can be vital now we’re going to see some changes in areas that did have a will
changes in areas that did have a will
changes in areas that did have a will wash up and hopefully our work will help
wash up and hopefully our work will help
wash up and hopefully our work will help scientists determine if those changes
scientists determine if those changes
scientists determine if those changes changes which we would call geo
changes which we would call geo
changes which we would call geo morphological changes to the coastline
morphological changes to the coastline
morphological changes to the coastline can be assigned to any singular event of
can be assigned to any singular event of
can be assigned to any singular event of oil washing up or if it’s just business
oil washing up or if it’s just business
oil washing up or if it’s just business as usual on the Louisiana coastline it
as usual on the Louisiana coastline it
as usual on the Louisiana coastline it may take years to know the spills total
may take years to know the spills total
may take years to know the spills total effects but the research gathered at
effects but the research gathered at
effects but the research gathered at Grand Isle by both research teams will
Grand Isle by both research teams will
Grand Isle by both research teams will give scientists important tools to
give scientists important tools to
give scientists important tools to measure the oils impact
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