Abstract
An analysis of the colour coded reflectivity level (grey level) textures of real aperture radar (RAR) imagery, which were obtained over a monomolecular sea slick, a medium fuel oil spill and a chocolate mousse oil spill, suggests that thick and thin parts within a mineral oil spill can be quickly detected. This offers an additional independent all-weather and day-and-night approach allowing a fast decision on where to start recovering activities by oil combatting vessels.