The Loop takes a deep dive into the Gulf of Mexico with the researchers studying the processes, mechanisms, and impacts of oil spills. The Center for Integrated Modeling and Analysis of Gulf Ecosystems (C-IMAGE) is an international research group studying mud, microbes and mammals after two mega spills, Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc I. Researchers from C-IMAGE discuss their studies with David Levin of Mind Open Media. The goal of C-IMAGE is to advance understanding of the fundamental processes and mechanisms of marine blowouts and their consequences, ensuring that society is better-prepared to mitigate future events. C-IMAGE research was made possible by a grant from The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative.

The Loop-mud, microbes, and mammals after Gulf of Mexico oil spills

In February 2018, a pair of unrelated science conferences were hosted in New Orleans, LA during the same week: Underwater Intervention, and the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Sciences Conference. This coincidence provided the opportunity for a Marine Technology Society TechSurge workshop to bring engineers and oil spill researchers together to discuss common problems and future efforts between the groups. The podcast gathers the perspectives of Andrew Ziegwied (ASV Global), Rick Spinrad (Oregon State University), and Susan Roberts (Ocean Studies Board Director) to see what these parallel communities can learn from one another when the next oil spill occurs.

Ecosystem services are benefits the environment provides to humans. Oil spills harm the environment and these services, like preventing marshlands from naturally dispersing storm surges. Measuring the cost of these services, economists are polling households asking how much someone would pay to prevent a spill or keep their marshlands protected. These estimates should be considered a factor when assessing the full economic damage of a spill, and how much someone is willing to pay to prevent them in the future.

MTS TechSurge-Episode 12

Mind Open Media's David Levin talks with C-IMAGE PI Steven Murawski and scientists from the Technical University of Hamburg at Harburg Michael Schluter and Karen Malone about their high pressure experiments ongoing at their facilities. They are looking at oil and gas droplets under high pressure to learn more about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Pressure is On!-Episode 5

David Levin talks with C-IMAGE members Cameron Ainsworth, Jason Lenes, Michelle Masi and Brian Smith about building an Ecosystem Model of the Gulf of Mexico to describe how oil spills impact marine life.

Fitting the Gulf of Mexico inside a computer: how to build an ecosystem model-Episode 4

Three years after the BP oil well disaster, scientists are struggling to understand the effects on the Gulf ecosystem. From Mind Open Media, David Levin reports on the oil's impact on the tiny creatures that form the base of the food chain.

The "not-so-visible" impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico-Episode 3

C-IMAGE PI's Steven Murawski and David Hollander on board the Weatherbird II in August of 2012 talking to David Levin about looking for impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill on the mud and the fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mud and the Blood-Episode 2

C-IMAGE PI Dr. Steven Murawski talks to David Levin about the research goals of our center and the importance of integration when tackling large scale impacts.

Overview of C-IMAGE-Episode 1

A research consortium of 17 institutions from 5 countries studying the impacts of oil spills on the Gulf of Mexico.

MTS TechSurge-Episode 12

C-IMAGE Consortium