Environmental impacts of the Persian Gulf oil spill and oil-fire smoke

Abstract

Using satellite imagery from INSAT-IB, NOAA-ll and IRS-IA we have continuously monitored the recent Persian Gulf oil slick and the fire-smoke from the burning oil wells. From the areal confinement of the slick, we conclude that the large-area effect of the slick will not be very significant and only local areas will suffer environmental hazards. Smoke-induced cooling of key thermal subsystems of the monsoon over the Indian subcontinent is estimated to be about 1 K, which may result in a slight delay in the onset of monsoon in 1991, as well as some weakening of it. The local-area cooling estimated to be 9 K, matches the reported drop of 8 K.