Oil Slick a Mess of Swirls in Satellite Photo

News
By
published
Satellite image of the Gulf oil slick taken on June 19, 2010 by NASA's Terra satellite. (Image credit: NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team.)

A new satellite image reveals swirls of oil spreading northeast from the leaking Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico.

The oil appears as a maze of silvery-gray ribbons in the photo-like image taken on Saturday, June 19, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite.

The location of the leaking well is marked with a white dot.Oil and gas continue to be captured and burned as part of the emergency response efforts, according to reports by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And so the black spot north of the oil well in the satellite image could be smoke.

TOPICS
Live Science Staff
Live Science Staff
For the science geek in everyone, Live Science offers a fascinating window into the natural and technological world, delivering comprehensive and compelling news and analysis on everything from dinosaur discoveries, archaeological finds and amazing animals to health, innovation and wearable technology. We aim to empower and inspire our readers with the tools needed to understand the world and appreciate its everyday awe.