Most_DAT BP_NP1 oil_NN1 still_RR pollutes_VVZ the_AT Gulf_NP1 ,_, scientists_NN2 conclude_VV0 Breakdown_NN1 is_VBZ proving_VVG slower_JJR than_CSN expected_JJ Oil_NN1 plumes_NN2 from_II the_AT BP_NP1 oil_NN1 spill_VV0 appear_VV0 to_TO be_VBI slow_JJ to_TO disperse_VVI ,_, as_CSA researchers_NN2 found_VVN in_II June_NPM1 when_RRQ a_AT1 submersible_JJ vehicle_NN1 (_( yellow_JJ )_) mapped_VVD a_AT1 plume_NN1 of_IO oil_NN1 1,100_MC meters_NN2 below_II the_AT surface_NN1 that_CST stretched_VVD 35_MC kilometers_NNU2 long_JJ ._. 
Dana_NP1 Yoerger/WHOITwo_NP1 new_JJ analyses_NN2 report_VV0 that_CST huge_JJ plumes_NN2 of_IO oil_NN1 generated_VVN by_II the_AT BP_NP1 spill_VV0 continue_VV0 to_TO roam_VVI deep_RR within_II the_AT Gulf_NN1 of_IO Mexico_NP1 and_CC appear_VV0 disturbingly_RR stable_JJ ._. 
Although_CS some_DD natural_JJ breakdown_NN1 of_IO hydrocarbons_NN2 in_II the_AT oil_NN1 is_VBZ underway_RR ,_, both_RR new_JJ analyses_NN2 report_VV0 evidence_NN1 that_CST this_DD1 biodegradation_NN1 is_VBZ very_RG slow_JJ ._. 
These_DD2 findings_NN2 contradict_VV0 an_AT1 Aug._NPM1 2_MC report_NN1 by_II the_AT National_JJ Incident_NN1 Command_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 largely_RR federal_JJ group_NN1 that_CST has_VHZ been_VBN coordinating_VVG management_NN1 and_CC cleanup_NN1 of_IO the_AT BP_NP1 Deepwater_NP1 Horizon_NN1 blowout_NN1 ._. 
An_AT1 estimated_JJ 4.9_MC million_NNO barrels_NN2 of_IO oil_NN1 (_( almost_RR 206_MC million_NNO gallons_NNU2 )_) escaped_VVD from_II the_AT damaged_JJ well_RR before_CS it_PPH1 was_VBDZ successfully_RR capped_VVN on_II July_NPM1 15_MC ._. 
Some_DD 17_MC percent_NNU of_IO the_AT oil_NN1 was_VBDZ captured_VVN before_CS it_PPH1 fouled_VVD the_AT water_NN1 ,_, the_AT NIC_NP1 reports_VVZ ._. 
But_CCB in_II testimony_NN1 August_NPM1 19_MC before_II the_AT House_NN1 Subcommittee_NN1 on_II Energy_NN1 and_CC Environment_NN1 ,_, Ian_NP1 MacDonald_NP1 of_IO Florida_NP1 State_NN1 University_NN1 in_II Tallahassee_NP1 cited_VVD data_NN from_II the_AT National_JJ Oceanic_JJ and_CC Atmospheric_JJ Administration_NN1 that_CST he_PPHS1 said_VVD showed_VVD only_RR 10_MC percent_NNU of_IO the_AT spewed_JJ BP_NP1 oil_NN1 "_" was_VBDZ actually_RR removed_VVN from_II the_AT ocean_NN1 "_" and_CC that_CST only_RR "_" a_AT1 fraction_NN1 ,_, perhaps_RR 10_MC percent_NNU ,_, will_VM have_VHI evaporated_VVN ._. "_" 
The_AT remaining_JJ oil_NN1 still_RR fouls_VVZ the_AT Gulf_NP1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
New_JJ analyses_NN2 by_II the_AT Woods_NN2 Hole_NN1 Oceanographic_JJ Institution_NN1 in_II Massachusetts_NP1 and_CC the_AT Georgia_NP1 Sea_NNL1 Grant_NP1 at_II the_AT University_NN1 of_IO Georgia_NP1 in_II Athens_NP1 also_RR suggest_VV0 that_RG much_DA1 of_IO the_AT BP_NP1 oil_NN1 has_VHZ not_XX been_VBN behaving_VVG as_CSA scientists_NN2 would_VM have_VHI expected_VVN ._. 
For_REX21 instance_REX22 ,_, in_II a_AT1 paper_NN1 online_RR in_II Science_NN1 August_NPM1 19_MC the_AT Woods_NN2 Hole_NN1 team_NN1 describes_VVZ data_NN from_II a_AT1 June_NPM1 cruise_VV0 that_CST mapped_VVD a_AT1 huge_JJ plume_NN1 of_IO diffuse_JJ hydrocarbons_NN2 more_DAR than_CSN 35_MC kilometers_NNU2 long_JJ ._. 
As_CSA this_DD1 cloud_NN1 of_IO oil_NN1 flowed_VVD roughly_RR 1,100_MC meters_NN2 below_II the_AT surface_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 maintained_VVD a_AT1 configuration_NN1 that_CST was_VBDZ roughly_RR 200_MC meters_NN2 high_JJ ,_, up_RG21 to_RG22 2_MC kilometers_NNU2 wide_JJ and_CC traveling_VVG at_II about_RG 6.7_MC kilometers_NNU2 per_II day_NNT1 ._. 
Over_II the_AT entire_JJ span_NN1 of_IO the_AT plume_NN1 studied_VVD ,_, the_AT cloud_NN1 's_GE height_NN1 "_" only_RR varied_VVN by_II tens_MC2 of_IO meters_NN2 ,_, "_" notes_VVZ Woods_NP1 Hole_NN1 team_NN1 leader_NN1 Richard_NP1 Camilli_NP1 ._. 
Researchers_NN2 cruising_VVG the_AT Gulf_NP1 in_II early_JJ June_NPM1 aboard_II a_AT1 NOAA_NN1 ship_NN1 ,_, the_AT Gordon_NP1 Gunter_NP1 ,_, also_RR found_VVN evidence_NN1 of_IO that_DD1 hydrocarbon_NN1 plume_NN1 ._. 
Like_II the_AT Woods_NN2 Hole_NN1 team_NN1 ,_, these_DD2 scientists_NN2 collected_VVD much_DA1 of_IO their_APPGE data_NN using_VVG an_AT1 autonomous_JJ underwater_JJ vehicle_NN1 ,_, in_II this_DD1 case_NN1 a_AT1 torpedo-like_JJ chemical_JJ sensing_NN1 laboratory_NN1 developed_VVN by_II the_AT Monterey_NP1 Bay_NN1 Aquarium_NN1 Research_NN1 Institute_NN1 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 were_VBDR in_II the_AT same_DA area_NN1 as_CSA the_AT Woods_NN2 Hole_NN1 group_NN1 ,_, "_" notes_VVZ John_NP1 Ryan_NP1 of_IO MBARI_NP1 ,_, and_CC similarly_RR found_VVN a_AT1 hydrocarbon_NN1 plume_NN1 below_RG 1,000_MC meters_NN2 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 're_VBR not_XX sure_JJ why_RRQ this_DD1 plume_NN1 set_VVN up_RP at_II this_DD1 depth_NN1 ,_, "_" says_VVZ Camilli_NP1 ,_, "_" but_CCB it_PPH1 appears_VVZ to_TO have_VHI persisted_VVN for_IF at_RR21 least_RR22 several_DA2 weeks_NNT2 or_CC months_NNT2 ._. 
And_CC it_PPH1 appears_VVZ very_RG stable_JJ ,_, but_CCB we_PPIS2 really_RR do_VD0 n't_XX know_VVI why_RRQ yet_RR ._. "_" 
"_" I_PPIS1 'm_VBM not_XX shocked_JJ ,_, but_CCB actually_RR pleasantly_RR surprised_JJ &lsqb;_( by_II these_DD2 data_NN &rsqb;_) ,_, "_" says_VVZ Roberto_NP1 Camassa_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS directs_VVZ the_AT Center_NN1 for_IF Interdisciplinary_JJ Applied_JJ Mathematics_NN1 at_II the_AT University_NN1 of_IO North_ND1 Carolina_NP1 at_II Chapel_NP1 Hill_NNL1 ._. 
In_II the_AT laboratory_NN1 ,_, this_DD1 fluid_NN1 dynamicist_NN1 and_CC his_APPGE colleagues_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN studying_VVG oil_NN1 plume_NN1 formation_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 says_VVZ the_AT buildup_NN1 of_IO stable_JJ deep_JJ plumes_NN2 make_VV0 sense_NN1 ,_, based_VVN on_II the_AT evolving_JJ science_NN1 of_IO interactions_NN2 between_II high-velocity_JJ oil_NN1 and_CC cold_JJ ,_, slow-moving_JJ waters_NN2 ._. 
"_" In_II our_APPGE lab_NN1 experiments_NN2 ,_, things_NN2 mainly_RR get_VV0 trapped_VVN based_VVN on_II their_APPGE density_NN1 ,_, "_" Camassa_NP1 observes_VVZ ._. 
"_" So_CS I_PPIS1 would_VM expect_VVI to_TO find_VVI a_AT1 somewhat_RR sharp_JJ transition_NN1 in_II density_NN1 down_RP there_RL ,_, and_CC with_IW such_DA stratification_NN1 the_AT oil_NN1 could_VM persist_VVI for_IF a_AT1 long_JJ ,_, long_JJ time_NNT1 ._. "_" 
Oil_NN1 in_II the_AT plume_NN1 has_VHZ n't_XX ascended_VVN to_II the_AT surface_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 explains_VVZ ,_, because_CS if_CS droplets_NN2 are_VBR small_JJ enough_RR they_PPHS2 become_VV0 neutrally_RR buoyant_JJ and_CC move_VV0 with_IW the_AT water_NN1 ._. 
Camassa_NP1 's_GE lab_NN1 studies_NN2 suggest_VV0 that_CST the_AT high-velocity_JJ spray_NN1 of_IO oil_NN1 from_II the_AT BP_NP1 blowout_NN1 would_VM essentially_RR have_VHI atomized_VVN the_AT crude_JJ oil_NN1 into_II microdroplets_NN2 ._. 
