Laser ignition of oil spills

Since 1982, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has been developing a novel dual-laser approach to starting oil pool fires from a helicopter. The technique, called LIOS (for Laser Ignition of Oil Spills) was initially conceived as a response to an Arctic maritime oil spill resulting from a shipwreck or well blowout, but is equally applicable to oil spilled in open water. This paper reviews the history and current development status of LIOS. Data are presented demonstrating that, contrary to initial expectations of the oil spill clean-up community, spilled oil can indeed be ignited with laser beams. The basic physics underlying the technique is presented, followed by a discussion of an outdoor demonstration that was performed in 1985. A helicopter deployable version of the ignition system is described, followed by a report on those aspects of the design which have already been proven to function as required