An Optimal Prevention and Detection Model for Pollution Patrol

ABSTRACT This paper presents a flight scheduling model for sensor (infra-red and ultra-violet) equipped aircraft whose mission is the detection and prevention of harbor and coastal oil and hazardous material pollution. The objective of the model is to maximize the expected number of pollution incidents detected per pollution flight. The model requires, as an input, parameters representing probabilities of pollution incidents occurring for different geographical sectors. These parameters are estimated using, coastwise and harbor, petroleum and hazardous material shipping statistics. The shipping statistics considered include movement of petroleum products along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts as well as the movement of such commodities in the intra-coastal waterway system and the Great Lakes. Particular port characteristics and past pollution incident statistics are also used to estimate required parameters of the scheduling model. The constraints in the model concern the availability of aircraft, f...