Progress in Marine Oil Spill Optical Remote Sensing: Detected Targets, Spectral Response Characteristics, and Theories

Different oil spill pollution types could be produced in oil transport and weathering processes. Investigation of these pollution types is beneficial for oil spill recovery and processing. Optical remote sensing techniques play an important role in marine oil spill monitoring and have the ability to identify different oil spill pollution types. Recently, research on oil spill optical remote sensing has made much progress in detecting targets, identifying spectral response characteristics, and formulating theories. Floating black oil, oil slicks, and oil-water mixture in marine oil spill accidents are the main targets to be investigated by optical remote sensors. The visible spectral response differences of these targets are the base of oil spill optical remote sensing research. Bi-directional reflectance distribution function, light interference, absorption, and scattering of targets produce different spectra. Therefore, oil spill optical remote sensing could be used to identify the main oil spill pollution types and estimate oil spill volume.