Oceanographic data was collected aboard the OCEAN VERITAS vessel in the Gulf of Mexico over a 25-day period from June to July 2010. The Subsurface Monitoring Unit, a multi-agency group, gathered these measurements in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The dataset includes chemical, physical, and laboratory analysis data.
Use Cases
- Analyzing Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Volatile Organic Compounds concentrations to map contaminant spread.
- Correlating conductivity, salinity, and temperature measurements with CDOM fluorescence to assess water column stratification and pollutant interaction.
- Using attenuation/transmission and suspended solids data to model light penetration and sediment transport post-spill.
- Examining dissolved oxygen and hydrostatic pressure profiles to evaluate impacts on benthic habitats.
- Integrating provisional laboratory analysis results for Semivolatile Organic Compounds with in-situ CTD data for comprehensive environmental assessment.
Strengths
- Data collection spanned a focused 25-day period during a critical environmental event.
- Includes multiple data types from chemical analysis, physical profiles, and laboratory measurements.
- CTD data underwent preliminary quality assurance and control procedures at the National Coastal Data Development Center.
Limitations
- Analytical chemistry data are labeled as provisional, indicating potential unreviewed or unvalidated results.
- The temporal coverage is limited to a single month, providing a snapshot rather than long-term trends.
- Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes are unknown.
Provenance
- Source
- Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies.
- Collection Method
- Data collected aboard the OCEAN VERITAS using CTD, LISST, transmissometer, bottle, fluorometer, oxygen meter, and other physical sampling devices.
- Time Range
- 2010-06-23 to 2010-07-17
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Gulf of Mexico