The northern eddy is characterized by a cyclonic circulation, while selleck kinase inhibitor the southern one has an anticyclonic circulation (Supić et al., 2000 and Beg et al., 2005). Thus, in the first few days, the oil slick moves westwards, after which it begins to spread intensively in the opposite E direction towards the coast of Istria, more specifically along the dividing line between the northern and southern eddies (see Figure 12e). The oil slick reaches the coast on 22 February 2008, 16 days after the oil spill. The coastal area around Rovinj is most exposed to the oil pollution, an oil slick of thickness > 10 μm

being in contact with the coastline for 3% of the total simulation period (see Figure 12f). At the beginning of the oil spill simulation of 4 March 2008, NE and NNE winds are blowing, with a predominantly NNW circulation along the eastern coast. With such a circulation, the oil slick moves towards the north-western part of the area under investigation (see Figure 13e). The bora gains in strength

until 7 March, when it reaches its maximum, again inducing the formation of two eddies. The cyclonic circulation of the northern eddy facilitates the retention of the oil slick in the central and north-western parts of the spatial domain (see Figure 13a). After the cessation of the bora, a steadier outgoing flow is established along the western coast, and consequently, removal

of oil from the modelled area is intensified. The oil slick reaches the coastline 48 days after the spill Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor (on 21 April 2008), on the stretch between Poreč and Rovinj. Retention of oil along the coastline from with > 10 μm thick layer is recorded in the following two days, that is ≈ 3% of the total simulation period (see Figure 13f). The fourth oil spill situation, of 13 July 2008, is characterized by the impact of winds from quadrants II, III and IV. A cyclonic and coastal circulation is predominant, with the pair of eddies being absent and the occurrence of the ICCC (Istrian Coastal Counter-Current). Such a circulation speeds up the removal of the oil slick from the modelled area (see Figure 14e), so that during the simulation period of 60 days no part of the coastline is exposed (see Figure 14f). In the final oil spill situation to be analysed, dated 13 September 2008, an outgoing circulation along the western coast of Istria is predominant. The bora, blowing between 26 and 28 September 2008, does not bring about the occurrence of the cyclonic and anticyclonic pair of eddies, but merely amplifies the outgoing circulation and of the removal of the oil spill along the western coast (see Figure 15e). From 2 to 4 October 2008 the impact of a libeccio (SW wind) moves the surface layer of the sea, shifting the remaining oil slick towards the central part of the model domain (see Figure 15b).