AN INVESTIGATION OF OIL FLUORESCENCE AS A TECHNIQUE

Final report summarizing an investigation of a laser-excited oil fluorescence technique for the remote sensing and identification of oil spills at sea. Report covers a study of the nature of oil, theoretical analysis of the oil fuorescence phenomenon, laboratory measurement of the required parameters, and field measurements. Conclusions establish the technical feasibility of remote detecting identifying and mapping of oil spills by laser excited fluorescence. Recommendations are made to build a flyable system to measure, oil spills at sea. Positive identification of oil types can be greatly improved by measurement of extinction coefficient, API gravity, fluorescent lifetime, after exposing the samples to prolonged exposure in the ocean environment.