LATEX C: Gulf of Mexico Eddy Circulation Study CTD and Drifter Data

Coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and NW Atlantic were the focus of the LATEX C study from August 1992 to June 1993. This dataset contains 2,821 records of high-resolution CTD and ARGOS-tracked drifting buoy data, collected to locate and track Loop Current eddies, slope eddies, squirts, and jets. The study was a $16.2 million federal initiative to assess the impact of these circulation features on shelf processes and inform risks for oil and gas operations.

Use Cases

• Tracking Loop Current and slope eddy movement based on ARGOS buoy trajectories.
• Analyzing vertical water column structure (temperature, depth) from CTD profiles.
• Modeling shelf circulation interactions with large-scale Gulf features.
• Assessing environmental conditions for offshore oil and gas operation planning.

Strengths

• Contains 2,821 explicitly stated records of CTD and drifting buoy data.
• Part of the largest physical oceanography program ever undertaken in the Gulf of Mexico at the time.
• Data spans a defined 10-month time range (1992-08 13 to 1993-06-05) from a major federal study.

Limitations

• Column names and specific variables are not listed in any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (1993 vs. 2026) suggests potential archival staleness.
• Data format specifics (F022, F156) are mentioned but not described for modern tool compatibility.

Provenance

Source

Dr. Thomas Berger, Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), submitted to NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

CTD casts and ARGOS-tracked drifting buoys deployed from the CAPE HENLOPEN and drifting platforms.

Time Range

1992-08-13 to 1993-06-05

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:07:30.559625 (though this may be a metadata update, not data refresh)

Geography

Coastal Waters of Gulf of Mexico, NW Atlantic (limit -40 W), from Mississippi River to Rio Grande.