Chemical, physical, profile and other oceanographic data collected aboard NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON in the Gulf of Mexico from 2010-06-03 to 2010-07-18 in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill event (NCEI Accession 0069082)

Oceanographic data were collected aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson in the Gulf of Mexico from June 3 to July 18, 2010. The Subsurface Monitoring Unit gathered measurements including CDOM fluorescence, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature using CTDs, fluorometers, and oxygen meters. This dataset was created for real-time analysis and decision support in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Use Cases

• Analyze changes in salinity and conductivity to track freshwater plume dispersion from the spill event.
• Model dissolved oxygen levels against temperature and pressure data to assess impacts on marine life.
• Correlate CDOM fluorescence and general fluorescence measurements with other chemical data to estimate hydrocarbon contamination.
• Use hydrostatic pressure and sound velocity profiles for physical oceanographic studies of the affected water column.

Strengths

• Data collected over a focused 46-day period during a major environmental event.
• Includes multiple complementary measurements (e.g., CDOM fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature) per sampling event.
• CTD data underwent preliminary quality assurance and control procedures at the National Coastal Data Development Center.

Limitations

• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting statistical confidence.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to the Gulf of Mexico cruise track of one ship.
• Data is from a single event in 2010 and may not reflect current conditions or instrumentation.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), collected by the Subsurface Monitoring Unit.

Collection Method

Data gathered using CTD, fluorometer, oxygen meter, and other physical sampling devices aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.

Time Range

2010-06-03 to 2010-07-18

Geography

Gulf of Mexico