NODC Accession 0069113: Oceanographic CTD Data from Deepwater Horizon Response

From September 9-17, 2010, NOAA Ship Pisces collected chemical, physical, and profile data in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Subsurface Monitoring Unit used CTD, fluorometer, and oxygen meter instruments to measure parameters like CDOM fluorescence, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, and water density. Data underwent preliminary quality assurance by the National Coastal Data Development Center.

Use Cases

• Tracking subsurface oil plume dispersion based on CDOM fluorescence and dissolved oxygen measurements.
• Analyzing changes in water column structure post-spill using conductivity, temperature, and density profiles.
• Calibrating hydrodynamic spill models with in-situ sound velocity and hydrostatic pressure data.
• Assessing potential benthic impacts from the spill using near-bottom salinity and temperature readings.

Strengths

• Data collection was part of a coordinated federal response, suggesting standardized protocols.
• Preliminary quality assurance and control procedures were applied by the National Coastal Data Development Center.
• Includes ancillary cruise-level documentation such as reports, plans, videos, and pictures.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are not provided in the available metadata.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist between platforms (2010-09-17 vs. 2026-03-05), creating uncertainty about data currency.
• The dataset's size and row count are unknown, limiting an assessment of its scope.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies, aboard NOAA Ship Pisces.

Collection Method

In-situ measurements collected using CTD, fluorometer, and oxygen meter instruments.

Time Range

2010-09-09 to 2010-09-17

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:09:26.537992

Geography

Gulf of Mexico