Deepwater Horizon Spill: Gulf of Mexico CTD Casts from HOS Davis

Gulf of Mexico chemical and physical oceanographic profile data were collected aboard the HOS Davis from August 26 to September 3, 2010, in direct response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The dataset includes measurements of CDOM fluorescence, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, hydrostatic pressure, salinity, sound velocity, temperature, and water density from CTD, fluorometer, and oxygen meter instruments. These data were gathered by the multi-agency Subsurface Monitoring Unit and have undergone quality assurance and control by the National Coastal Data Development Center.

Use Cases

• Tracking subsurface oil plume dispersion based on CDOM and hydrocarbon fluorescence measurements.
• Analyzing changes in water column stratification using temperature, salinity, and density profiles.
• Assessing dissolved oxygen levels to evaluate potential hypoxic conditions following the spill.
• Calibrating hydrodynamic models with conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data.

Strengths

• Data underwent quality assurance and control procedures at a national data center.
• Covers a specific, critical 9-day period immediately following a major environmental event.
• Includes multiple physical and chemical parameters measured with standard oceanographic instruments.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are not provided in the available metadata.
• Conflicting last-update dates exist between platforms (2010-09-03 vs. 2026-03-05).
• Dataset size, row count, and specific file formats are unknown.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies.

Collection Method

Collected via CTD casts, fluorometer, and oxygen meter aboard the vessel HOS Davis.

Time Range

2010-08-26 to 2010-09-03

Freshness

2026-03-05 (most recent update recorded, though this may be a metadata refresh)

Geography

Gulf of Mexico