Abstract
Modern satellite systems such as Sentinel-1 (SAR) and Sentinel-2 (optical spectrum) offer valuable tools for detecting the spatial morphology of marine pollution, including dark cores on SAR images that indicate thin surface films or emulsified oil layers. Unlike traditional spill detection, locating the underwater pollution source requires backward trajectory analysis accounting for wind and hydrodynamic conditions. This study presents an integrated methodology for backward tracing of oil slicks, combining satellite image analysis, vertical particle rise modeling, and drift vector correction using Meteoblue data. Special attention is given to the comparative evaluation of EO Browser visualization scripts used to enhance the detection of surface films and improve signal-to-noise ratios on Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images. The method was tested using the case of the "Volgoneft" tanker incident in the northwestern Black Sea (December 2024). The results demonstrate the applicability of this approach for operational source localization under conditions of limited visibility, complex geopolitics, or military conflict.