Discover how cutting edge satellite technology is revolutionizing our approach to uncovering hidden ocean oil pollutions.
Overview
Every day, shipping vessels worldwide accumulate oily wastewater, known as bilge water, from their operations. While regulations mandate the proper disposal of this water at ports, many vessels opt for the illegal route, dumping it directly into the sea to avoid costs and delays. The Cerulean platform leverages the Sentinel-1 satellite sensor to detect these oil slicks in real-time and hold the culprits accountable.
Challenge
The vastness of the oceans and the transient nature of oil slicks present significant challenges in detection. Not only do these slicks diffuse rapidly, often within 24 hours, but distinguishing illegal oil slicks from other similar-looking marine phenomena is a daunting task. Additionally, the decision between segmentation and object detection models complicates the process significantly when multiple events overlap in a single image.
Outcome
Utilizing the Sentinel-1 satellite sensor and advanced modeling techniques, the project successfully identified oil slicks on a global scale. The results, accessible through SkyTruth's Cerulean online mapping tool, showcase the detection system's effectiveness. This breakthrough not only aids in real-time identification but also serves as a deterrent for potential polluters, ensuring a safer and cleaner marine environment.
Image courtesy of SkyTruth
Illustrating conceptual differences between semantic and instance segmentation models.
Architecture diagram for the Cerulean backend, across AWS and GCP
Identified oil slick segment.
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