![]() ![]() They are persistent in the marine environment, difficult to break down.Īre the tar balls appearing in Los Angeles County coming from the Santa Barbara oil spill? The hotter the air or water, the stickier the tar ball. Fresh tar balls can have the consistency of molasses. They are often “hard and crusty on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, like a toasted marshmallow,” according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Tar balls are generally coin-sized, but can be bigger, forming “tar patties” that are the size of pancakes, wildlife officials said. ![]() The spread of tar balls depends on a variety of factors, including storm surges and shifts in currents, Retallack said. ![]() Tar balls can also occur naturally from fissures in the ocean floor, “places where oil just gurgles up,” said Alexia Retallack, a spokeswoman for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. New tar balls appearing on the beach, especially in large numbers, might indicate an industrial oil spill, according to the NOAA. Yes, that is often the case - but not always. ![]()
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