Gulf of Mexico Oceanographic Data from Deepwater Horizon Response
Updated 3mo ago
22files
Available on 2 platforms
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Description
NOAA Ship GORDON GUNTER collected these oceanographic measurements in the Gulf of Mexico from July 25-31, 2010, specifically in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Subsurface Monitoring Unit, a multi-agency group, gathered data on conductivity, temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, salinity, sound velocity, and water density using CTD and oxygen meter instruments. Preliminary quality assurance was performed by the National Coastal Data Development Center, and the dataset includes supporting products like charts and maps for real-time decision support.
Use Cases
Analyzing changes in water column structure (temperature, salinity, density) to model oil plume dispersion.
Assessing potential hypoxia by correlating dissolved oxygen levels with depth and location post-spill.
Calibrating acoustic models for sub-surface oil tracking using sound velocity and hydrostatic pressure measurements.
Creating spatial maps of oceanographic conditions (conductivity, temperature) to support environmental impact assessments.
Strengths
Data collection targeted a specific, major environmental event over a precise 7-day period in July 2010.
Preliminary quality assurance and control procedures were applied by the National Coastal Data Development Center.
Instruments include standardized oceanographic tools like CTD and oxygen meters, ensuring methodological consistency.
Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData signals its importance and official curation.
Limitations
Core metadata conflicts exist: Data.gov lists a last update of 2026-03 05, while NASA EarthData shows 2010-07-31, creating uncertainty about data currency.
The exact row count, file size, and complete column list are unknown across all sources.
License information is not provided, which may restrict certain uses.
Provenance
Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
Collection Method
Data collected aboard NOAA Ship GORDON GUNTER using CTD and oxygen meter instruments, with supporting products created for real-time analysis.
Time Range
2010-07-25 to 2010-07-31
Freshness
2026-03-05 23:31:16.766568
Geography
Gulf of Mexico
The dataset's primary purpose was real-time analysis and decision support for the Deepwater Horizon response; it may not represent routine monitoring. Users should verify the conflicting last update dates between platforms.