Deepwater Horizon Response: Hydrocarbon Sensor Data from RYAN CHOUEST Cruise

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data from the RYAN CHOUEST research vessel capture chemical oceanographic measurements in the Gulf of Mexico from June 24-29, 2010. The dataset includes Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and fluorescence readings from instruments like fluorometers and gas chromatographs, collected by the Subsurface Monitoring Unit in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It also contains real-time analysis products such as charts, maps, and GIS files, along with cruise-level documentation.

Use Cases

• Tracking subsurface oil plume movement based on fluorescence and TPH measurements.
• Calibrating hydrocarbon transport models using geospatial sensor data from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Assessing the environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill using chromatographic analysis.
• Reviewing real-time decision support products like maps and charts created during the response.

Strengths

• Data is directly tied to a major environmental event with a precise time range (June 24-29, 2010).
• Includes both raw sensor data and derived analysis products (charts, maps, GIS files) for immediate use.
• Collected by a multi-agency government task force (Subsurface Monitoring Unit), suggesting authoritative collection.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, row counts, and file formats are unspecified across all sources.
• Data is described as 'raw and provisional', indicating it may not be quality-controlled or finalized.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist between platforms (2010 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about version freshness.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies, collected aboard the RYAN CHOUEST.

Collection Method

Instruments included fluorometer and gas chromatograph along with other physical sampling devices.

Time Range

2010-06-24 to 2010-06-29

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: one source lists 2010-06-29, others list 2026-03 05.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico