Introduction

WebGNOME is the web-based interface to GNOME, a publicly available oil spill trajectory and fate model that simulates oil movement and weathering due to winds and currents. GNOME was developed by the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Emergency Response Division for use in oil spill response.

More information about the GNOME suite can be found on OR&R's Web Site.

WebGNOME can be used to:

  • Predict how winds, currents, and other processes might move and spread oil spilled on the water.

  • See how spilled oil is predicted to change chemically and physically (“weather”) during the time that it remains on the water surface.

To use WebGNOME, users describe a spill scenario by entering information into the program and potentially uploading files with ocean currents, wind forecasts, and shoreline information. To examine the fate of spilled oil, a specific oil can be selected from the ADIOS Oil Databse: a database of more than a thousand different crude oils and refined products.

WebGNOME then creates and displays an oil spill animation showing the predicted trajectory of the oil spilled in the scenario. WebGNOME also produces graphs containing information on the “oil budget” or partitioning of spilled oil between the water surface, water column, and atmosphere. Physical properties of the floating oil (e.g., viscosity, concentration) can be visualized as the spill trajectory evolves.

To make setting up and running WebGNOME easier, users can choose to start with a Location File. These exist for many United States waterways and contain pre-packaged tide and current data.

Alternatively, users can choose to utilize shoreline data and output from ocean and meteorological models. Some publicly available operational models are available for selection and download within WebGNOME. Files can also be uploaded to WebGNOME for use in custom scenarios.