Chemical, physical, and profile oceanographic data were collected aboard the BUNNY BORDELON vessel over a 6-day period from August 18-23, 2010. The Subsurface Monitoring Unit gathered this data in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, measuring parameters like CDOM fluorescence, volatile organic compounds, and salinity. Provisional analytical chemistry results from onshore laboratory analysis of water and sediment samples are included.
Use Cases
- Correlate Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) measurements with concurrent salinity and temperature readings to model hydrocarbon dispersion.
- Analyze time-series trends in Volatile Organic Compounds and dissolved oxygen to assess acute biological impacts post-spill.
- Use CDOM fluorescence and conductivity data as proxies for tracking dissolved organic matter from the spill event.
- Profile water density and sound velocity against hydrostatic pressure to understand the physical oceanographic state during sampling.
Strengths
- Data collected over a focused 6-day cruise in direct response to a major environmental event.
- Includes multiple data types: chemical analyses (e.g., Semivolatile Organic Compounds), physical measurements (e.g., temperature), and profile data from CTD casts.
- CTD data underwent preliminary quality assurance and control procedures at the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC).
Limitations
- Analytical chemistry data are labeled as provisional, indicating they are not final validated results.
- Temporal coverage is limited to a single 6-day cruise, providing a snapshot rather than long-term monitoring.
- Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting statistical assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), collected by the multi-agency Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU).
- Collection Method
- Data gathered via ship-based instruments including CTD, bottle, fluorometer, and oxygen meter, with onshore laboratory analysis of samples.
- Time Range
- 2010-08-18 to 2010-08-23.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Gulf of Mexico.