Mathematical methods help predict movement of oil and ash following environmental disasters.

When oil started gushing into the Gulf of Mexico in late April 2010, friends asked George Haller whether he was tracking its movement.

When oil started gushing into the Gulf of Mexico in late April 2010, friends asked George Haller whether he was tracking its movement.

Now, in work that could lead to ways of controlling the effect with potential impacts on fuel efficiency and more, MIT scientists and colleagues have reported new mathematical and experimental work for predicting where that aerodynamic separation will occur.