METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING CHARTS OF MARINE AND COASTAL VULNERABILITY TO OIL, OIL PRODUCTS AND OTHER CHEMICALS Russian patent published in 2017 - IPC G01V99/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: list of the accounted objects is determined: the important biota components (IBC) - environmental biota groups / subgroups / types, the designated areas (DA). The season boundaries for the construction of the season charts with reference to the distribution of the selected environmental biota groups / subgroups / types and their vulnerability to oil are determined. The data on the biota distribution from the known published and / or unpublished databases, the environmental monitoring data and the publications on the results of the various studies are collected. The expert assessments on the biota distribution for the areas poorly provided or not provided with the data, are collected. The cartographic information about the coverage is collected from the existing topographic and navigational charts, sailing directions, aerial photographs, satellite images, the existing GIS data. The collected information is entered into the electronic cartographic database (DB). The source different-scale charts (WKB) of the biota groups / subgroups / types are constructed. The vulnerability factors for the accounted biota groups / subgroups / types are calculated on the sensitivity basis of the components to oil, their recoverability after exposure and the potential oil exposure. The received biota distribution charts are normalized. The biota vulnerability charts are constructed by the "addition" of the normalized WKB distribution charts for the environmental biots groups / subgroups / types in respect to their vulnerability factors. The received vulnerability charts are normalized, and the integrated vulnerability charts are constructed. At the same time, the range of the ​​obtained integrated vulnerability values are divided into 3 or 5 equal sub-ranges on the last construction stage of the integrated vulnerability charts, which are painted in different colors on the charts. The information received during the construction of the integrated vulnerability charts is entered in the cartographic database. In addition, the missing data are collected in the process of the marine and coastal expeditions in different seasons or months by sampling of the biota groups / subgroups / types . The number per area unit and / or the biomass density, the habitat boundaries of the environmental groups / subgroups / types of the important marine ecosystem biotic components from macrophytes to birds and marine mammals, excluding phyto- and zooplankton, are determined. The expert assessment of the missing data volume is carried out, and the newly obtained data are entered into the generated electronic cartographic database. The DA are separated in the significant socio-economic objects (SSEO) and the protected areas (PA). The charts for the SSEO and PA are constructed for the given coverage. For all accounted ecosystem components (WKB, SSEO and PA) the season charts are constructed, if the data are insufficient to construct the charts by months. In respect to the distribution characteristics of the time limits of the WKB, SSEO and PA, as well as their vulnerability to oil, the season boundaries, for which the vulnerability charts will be calculated, are defined. The vulnerability factors are assigned values for the SSEO and PA on the basis of the expert assessments. To construct the biota vulnerability charts, the charts of the season distribution of the biota components (groups / subgroups / types) are normalized for the abundance of the relevant environmental group on average per year in the coverage. Then, the "addition" of the source distribution charts of all the biota components is carried out for each season or month, taking into account the relative vulnerability factors for each accounted biotic component of the ecosystem. The vulnerability charts of the SSEO and PA are constructed by the "addition" of the source distribution charts of all the components of the SSEO and PA with their vulnerability factors, the received charts are normalized. The charts of the "relative" integrated vulnerability coverage are constructed by the "addition" of the relevant "relative" vulnerability season charts of the WKB, SSEO and PA. The "addition" of the "absolute" vulnerability charts of the WKB, SSEO and PA are performed to get the "absolute" integrated vulnerability charts.

EFFECT: improved accuracy of the vulnerability assessment of the marine and coastal areas to oil and oil products.

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