INTEGRATION OF REMOTE SENSING DATA INTO THE BSH OIL SPILL DRIFT 
MODEL WITHIN THE GERMAN DEMARINE-ENVIRONMENT PROJECT 
Carina Kuebert (1) , Dr. Bjorn Baschek (1) , Dr. Frank Janssen (2) , Stephan Dick (2) 
(1) German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BJG), Am Maimer Tor I, 56068 Koblenz, Germany, 
E-Mail: kueberttxpbafg.de, baschektxpbafg.de 
<2) German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 78, 20359 Hamburg, Germany, 
E-Mail: frank.janssentxpbsh.de, stephan.dicktxpbsh.de 
ABSTRACT 
The pre-operational integration of information extracted 
from remote sensing data into the processing chain of 
the existing BSH oil spill drift model is an achievement 
of the subproject “Oil Spill Drift Modelling” of the 
German DeMarine-Enviromnent project. The Federal 
Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and the Federal Maritime 
and Hydro graphic Agency (BSH) are the partners of this 
subproject with the Central Command for Maritime 
Emergencies (CCME) as its main user. The new 
software tool REviSED extracts information about 
position and extent of possible oil spills from satellite 
or aircraft data and produces the input files for the BSH 
drift model. Thus, the processing chain was updated and 
the model workflow was further automated and 
optimised. This speeds up potential response to 
pollution events while respecting the importance of 
validity checks and possible adaptation of parameters by 
the model operators. The revised processing chain as 
well as a case study are presented. 
1. INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION 
DeMarine;^) 
Environment 
Subproject (SP)1: 
Coordination and User Office 
SP 2: 
Water 
Quality in 
Coastal 
Waters 
SP 3: 
Oil Spill Drift 
Modeling 
SP 4: 
Wadden Sea 
Monitoring 
SP 5: 
Data 
Assimilation 
Figure 1. DeMarine-Enviromnent Project 
DeMarine is a German contribution to GMES funded by 
the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology 
(BMWi) through the German Aerospace Center (DLR). 
This project was started in 2008 with a duration of tluee 
years and consists of two parts: DeMarine-Security and 
DeMarine-Enviromnent [1], [2]. The first one addresses 
topics like safety and security in coastal and sea traffic 
[1]; the second one focuses on enhancements 
concerning marine environmental monitoring and 
surveillance to fulfil user needs in an optimal way ([3], 
[4]). This paper addresses “Oil Spill Drift Modelling” 
that is one of five DeMarine-Enviromnent subprojects 
(cf. Fig. 1). 
Germany uses a combined system of aerial remote 
sensing by Domier 228 aircraft equipped with a multi 
sensor system and radar satellites for maritime oil 
pollution surveillance and as a support for oil spill 
combating vessels. In particular cases, an oil spill drift 
model is run for receiving a forecast of the drift path or - 
by backtracking - possible positions of potential 
sources. Before DeMarine, there was no automatic 
linkage between remote sensing and drift modelling. 
The available remote sensing data include information 
about spill occurrence, its position as well as its spatial 
distribution which are essential input parameters for oil 
spill drift modelling. 
2. ELEMENTS OF THE MONITIORING 
SYSTEM 
Satellite services and aircraft on the one hand and the oil 
spill drift model on the other hand build together a 
combined monitoring system. The individual parts are 
highlighted in the following. 
2.1. Remote Sensing Data 
Remote sensing data for monitoring oil pollutions on 
water surfaces is used since the 1980s due to relative 
low costs for observing large areas [5]. SLAR and SAR 
systems allow a permanent and inordinate observation 
because of atmospheric and illumination independences 
[6]. For a long time, only radar sensors on aircraft were 
available for operational maritime surveillance. Starting 
with several projects as e.g. OCEANIDES or MarCoast 
also satellite-based radar was introduced into the 
operational use as an additional tool. In Europe mainly 
images from ENVISAT, Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 are 
used. Since 2007 the European Maritime Safety Agency 
(EMSA) is offering CleanSeaNet (CSN) [7], a satellite 
service for oil spill detection, as a support service for 
Member States for their pollution control. 
Proc. ‘ESA Living Planet Symposium \ Bergen, Norway 
28 June - 2 July 2010 (ESA SP-686, December 2010)