How does GNOME relate to TAP (Trajectory Analysis Planner)?
A. GNOME is our trajectory model and TAP is our Trajectory Analysis Planner. What’s the difference? GNOME runs single trajectories. If GNOME is run thousands of times (using historical winds, tides, and currents), you can use TAP to analyze all those trajectories and calculate statistics from them. TAP provides the probability of oil movement by looking at those thousands of trajectories. These probabilities allow planners to look at “what if” situations based on the regional oceanography and climate. Decision-makers can use TAP to decide whether to buy more boom or another skimmer, or where to site a lightering area. TAP cannot be used in the event of a real spill. The situation on a particular day may not be well represented in the statistics, because spills often happen due to unusual circumstances. In the case of a real spill, GNOME can be quickly set up to represent the environmental conditions of the spill. TAP is best used for planning, when it is not known what conditions will
