Ocean Veritas Water Chemistry Data from Deepwater Horizon Spill

Oceanographic data were collected aboard the OCEAN VERITAS in the Gulf of Mexico from 2010-07-26 to 2010-07-29 in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The dataset includes measurements of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Volatile Organic Compounds, conductivity, salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen, gathered using CTD, LISST, fluorometers, and laboratory analysis of samples. It was produced by the multi-agency Subsurface Monitoring Unit and contains both raw instrument data and processed products for decision support.

Use Cases

• Tracking the concentration and dispersion of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Volatile Organic Compounds in the water column post-spill.
• Analyzing correlations between physical parameters like temperature, salinity, conductivity, and chemical contaminant levels.
• Using CDOM fluorescence and transmissometer data to assess suspended solids and water clarity changes due to the spill.
• Employing CTD profile data (pressure, temperature, salinity) to understand the vertical structure of the impacted water mass.

Strengths

• Data collection was specifically targeted for a major environmental event, providing a focused snapshot from July 26-29, 2010.
• CTD data underwent preliminary quality assurance and control procedures at the National Coastal Data Development Center.
• Multiple instrument sources were used, including CTD, LISST, transmissometer, fluorometer, and laboratory analysis, providing multi-faceted measurements.

Limitations

• Analytical chemistry data are labeled as provisional, indicating they are not final validated results.
• Core metadata such as row count, file size, and complete column list are unknown across all platforms.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' date between sources (2026-04-01 vs. 2010-07-29), creating uncertainty about data currency.

Provenance

Source

Subsurface Monitoring Unit (SMU), consisting of multiple government and corporate agencies, collected for NOAA NCEI (NODC Accession 0069101).

Collection Method

Data collected via shipboard instruments (CTD, LISST, transmissometer, fluorometer, oxygen meter) and onshore laboratory analysis of water and sediment samples.

Time Range

2010-07-26 to 2010-07-29

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:33:44.512939

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specifically the area surveyed by the OCEAN VERITAS research vessel.