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Google Keeps Eye on BP Gulf Oil Spill with NASA Images
by Clint Boulton
What Happened?
On April 20, an explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which was drilling in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast. The blast and subsequent fire killed 11 rig workers, injured 17 others and caused the drilling platform to sink several days later.
The Leak
The resulting oil leak has been catastrophic to the ecosystem and coastal fishing communities. Google has partnered with NASA to offer satellite images of the leak's slow spread across the Gulf.
April 29
Reports of how much oil is leaking vary from 5,000 barrels to 20,000 barrels per day.
May 9
The spill, the largest ever of its kind in the United States, has contaminated 140 miles of coastline.
May 17
BP is trying to divert oil leaking from its Gulf of Mexico well to a ship on the surface.
Areas at Risk
Google said this image represents areas at risk to the spill.
MODIS Satellite Images
Google worked with NASA's
MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellites on the images.
Different Views
MODIS satellites offer multiple views of the spill from above.
Google's Gulf Crisis Response
Google set up this Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
crisis response page, offering news, videos and updates on the disaster. PBS put out this video. PBS put out this
video.
Google's Gulf Layers
Google offers Google Earth layers of the spill, including the spread of the oil and YouTube videos of the spill, affected people and witnesses. Users can download these layers and view them in Google Earth.
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BP's Gulf oil spill began April 20, but the leak continues, spreading at least 1,000 barrels per day across the ocean, killing birds, fish and other wildlife and ruining maritime business across the coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Google started tracking the spill with Google Earth in May, and the search engine hasn't stopped even as BP keeps trying to get the leak under control. Check out the updated satellite images from Google Earth and NASA.