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Emergency ResponseHome | Image Galleries | Emergency Response

False Positives

Photo examples of water and biological phenomena that may be observed and may tend to be mistaken for oil.  If in doubt, inspect more closely at a lower altitude.  Most oil spills will have a sheen around the edges, as a method for helping sort out the spills from false positives.

Click on an image below to see the full image.

A kelp bed, which could be mistaken for oil.

Kelp Bed
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

View from a helicopter of a mass of jellyfish in the water.

Jellyfish
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

View from a helicopter of a red tide in the ocean.

Red Tide
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

View from a helicopter of herring spawn along shorelines. Herring spawn can easily be mistaken for silver sheen.

Herring Spawn
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

Aerial view of a river outflow, showing deep and shallow areas that could be mistaken for oil.

Water Depth Changes
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

Aerial view of the ocean, where cloud shadows look like oil on the water.

Cloud Shadows
(11.01.07, Location: Not available)

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