Simulating the fate of an oil spill near coastal zones: the case of a spill (from a power plant) at the Greek Island of Lesvos

This paper presents a deterministic mathematical model, which simulates the time-dependent behavior of an oil spill near coastal zones. The model solves the full set of partial-differential equations that govern transient, two-phase, turbulent flow and heat/mass transfer phenomena. It is used for predicting the consequences of hypothetical oil spills that could occur near a coastal area of great natural beauty and tourist attraction, at the island of Lesvos in Greece. The model generates a 3-D hydrodynamic field, under the influence of atmospheric and/or other external forcing, which in turn drives the spill at sea. It has also incorporated a few weathering mechanisms that determine the fate of the spill, as: spill spreading, dissolution, hydrodynamic dispersion and turbulent diffusion. It is noted, however, that the model has a general structure that can accommodate most of the remaining weathering processes (enumerated below) deemed necessary.