NOAA GORDON GUNTER: Deepwater Horizon Subsurface Oceanographic Data

NOAA Ship GORDON GUNTER collected these oceanographic measurements in the Gulf of Mexico from June 15-25, 2010, directly in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Raw Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data provides unprocessed U- and V-component current vectors and suspended material distribution, while CTD data includes conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and water density. The dataset also contains real-time analysis products like charts, maps, and GIS files created for decision support during the spill response.

Use Cases

• Mapping subsurface oil plume dispersion based on current speed vectors (U/V components) and suspended material distribution.
• Analyzing water column stratification and mixing using conductivity, temperature, and density (CTD) profiles.
• Calibrating hydrodynamic models of the Gulf of Mexico with in-situ current and salinity measurements.
• Assessing potential impacts on marine life through dissolved oxygen and temperature readings.
• Reconstructing the spill response timeline and tactics using the accompanying cruise reports and GIS products.

Strengths

• Data was collected for a specific, major environmental event (Deepwater Horizon spill, April 20, 2010).
• Includes both raw, unprocessed instrument data (ADCP) and quality-controlled data (CTD processed by NCDDC).
• Contains supplementary materials for context, including cruise reports, plans, videos, and real-time analysis products.

Limitations

• Key metadata is incomplete: column names, row counts, and exact file formats are unknown across all sources.
• The ADCP data is described as raw, unprocessed, and potentially incomplete, with some datasets noted as unpublished.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2010-06-25 vs. 2026-04-01), casting doubt on maintenance.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Collected via shipboard instruments including ADCP, CTD, and oxygen meters, with data management by the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC).

Time Range

2010-06-15 to 2010-06-25

Freshness

2026-04-01 (from datagov, though this date is suspiciously far in the future and conflicts with other metadata)

Geography

Gulf of Mexico