RAPID: Chemical Analysis of Atmosphere Associated with Gulf Oil Spill

2010年4月20日，深水地平线钻井平台发生爆炸，引发了英国石油公司深海石油泄漏事件，为应对这一前所未有的人为灾难，加州大学欧文分校迅速在几个机会平台上启动了全气罐采样。他们采用了成熟而灵活的全空气采样技术，然后采用高灵敏度气相色谱分析，包括从C-1（甲烷）到C-12（十二烷）的直链饱和烃和苯、甲苯等芳烃，以及更高分子量的物质，特别注意有毒物质的存在。在可能的情况下，还确定了与Corexit等分散剂有关的大气化学物种。确定了各种“机会平台”。在5月20日至5月23日期间，从65英尺长的“R/V Eugenie”号船甲板上采集了96个完整的空气样本。最初的结果提供了大量信息，48个采样罐被送往R/V鹈鹕号，96个被送往美国国家海洋和大气管理局的托马斯·杰斐逊号船。此外，从一架双水獭飞机上收集了120个样本。这项RAPID研究是组成协调响应的主要部分之一，以检查石油泄漏的微量气体排放。第二次使用了从同一架双水獭飞机上收集的甲烷数据（AGS-1048798， RAPID：空间增强宽带阵列光谱仪系统（SEBASS）对海湾溢油的调查）来绘制甲烷羽流图，第三次RAPID (AGS-1042894， RAPID)：在美国国家航空航天局（NASA） ER-2飞机上的遥感平台AVIRIS在更大的空间尺度上远程测量甲烷。ER-2飞行计划与双水獭飞行计划重叠协调。从整个空气样本和遥感，一个粗略的估计甲烷羽流大小从石油泄漏将实现。

In response to the unprecedented anthropogenic disaster following the deep ocean BP oil spill, which was initiated by an explosion at the Deep Water Horizon oil rig on April 20, 2010 the University of California, Irvine rapidly initiated whole air canister sampling on several platforms of opportunity. They employed their well established and flexible technique of whole air sampling followed by high sensitivity gas chromatographic analysis including straight-chain saturated hydrocarbons from C-1 (methane) to C-12 (dodecane) and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, as well as and higher molecular weight species, with special attention to the presence of toxic contributors. Where possible, atmospheric chemical species associated with dispersal agents such as Corexit were determined as well. A variety of "platforms of opportunity" were identified. These were the 65 ft vessel "R/V Eugenie" from the deck of which 96 whole air samples were collected between May 20 and May 23. The initial results were so informative that 48 sampling canisters were sent to the R/V Pelican and 96 to the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson. In addition 120 samples were collected from a Twin Otter aircraft.This RAPID study is one of three that makes up the bulk of a coordinated response to examine trace gas emissions from the oil leak. The second used methane data (AGS-1048798, RAPID: Spatially Enhanced Broadband Array Spectrograph System (SEBASS) Survey Over the Gulf Oil Spill) collected from the same Twin Otter aircraft to map methane plumes and the third RAPID (AGS-1042894, RAPID: Fossil-Fuel Extraction Industry Methane Emission Ground Reference Measurements during the AVIRIS Response to the Gulf Oil Spill) used the remote sensing platform AVIRIS on the NASA ER-2 aircraft to measure methane remotely and on a larger spatial scale. The ER-2 flight plan was coordinated to overlap with the Twin Otter flight plan. From whole air samples and remote sensing, a rough estimate of methane plume size from the oil spill will be realized.